Sustainable Communities Better Transport

Conference notes that the Labour Party Policy Forum is consulting on priorities for transport at local, national and international levels, in its document “Sustainable Communities, Better Transport”. UNISON’s interest and role in sustainable, public transport provision was demonstrated by the Positively Public Transport symposium – Building World Class Public Transport held in January. The symposium […]

Regional Assemblies and Public Transport

Conference welcomes the publication of the Government’s White Paper on Regional Assemblies: “Your Region, Your Choice: Revitalising the English Regions”. Conference notes that the White Paper acknowledges that “good transport is essential for sustainable economic success” and states that “transport needs to be integrated with policy on economic development, planning and housing”. Conference instructs the […]

Buses

This conference recognises the valuable contribution already being played by public bus services towards the elimination of social exclusion and in the reduction of traffic congestion. However it also recognises that modern, environmentally friendly buses have a huge untapped potential to contribute even more to the objectives set out in the Government’s Ten-Year Transport Plan. […]

Regional Water Charging Policies

This Water and Environment Service Group Conference notes that the National Consumer Council (NCC) is calling for regional charging policies, which could include compulsory metering in areas of water shortage. We call upon UNISON’s (National) Water and Environment Service Group Executive to enter into early dialogue on this issue with the NCC to discuss whether […]

Water Bill

Conference welcomes the publication of the Water Bill in February 2003 and instructs the Water and Environment Service Group Executive to take whatever action is necessary to ensure that the interests of employees are safeguarded and reflected in the primary legislation and any associated secondary legislation, codes of practice etc.

Water Poverty and Charges

Conference notes that a recent study of Water Poverty in England and Wales estimates that 19% of households are in water poverty which is defined as the need to spend 3% or more of household disposable income on water bills. There is also widespread evidence that the level of water bill debt is rising. According […]

Local Government Service Group Executive Report

This Conference receives the report of the Local Government Service Group Executive.

Workforce Training and Development

Conference notes that the government’s emphasis on improvement in local government service delivery continues. While Conference supports the call for top quality public services, Conference also believes that an increase in investment in local government workforce development and training is central to the improvement of local government services. Conference welcomes the joint work with the […]

Funding for Social Services

This Conference wishes to applaud the efforts of all those who work in social care providing crucial services to the most vulnerable members of our communities. We believe that it is only the dedication of these workers which has kept services running while government and employers have failed to provide the leadership and the funding […]

Non-Standard and Unsocial Hours Working

This Conference is aware that many local government workers are in “24/7” services working irregular and demanding shifts where “flexibility” is all on the employers side and little or no compensation is made for the disruption in family life and the bad effects on health. Conference instructs the Service Group Executive to investigate the amount […]

Recruitment and Retention of Young Workers in Local Government

Conference notes: 1)That the crisis in recruitment and retention of staff in the public sector has recently been identified by the Audit Commission report “Recruitment and Retention: A public services workforce for the 21st Century”. 2)That this crisis is particularly acute in local government where 75% of councils surveyed nationally by UNISON report difficulties in […]

Traffic Wardens Powers

Conference welcomes the work done in relation to the extension of Traffic Warden’s Powers under the functions of Traffic Warden’s order 2002, where surprisingly limited. Conference instructs the Executive to: 1)again work with the Home Office to obtain the full power to stop for Traffic Warden’s; 2)lobby ACPO and the APA as to the benefits […]

Partnership

As a modern trade union, UNISON encourages the use of partnership as a legitimate bargaining tool. The benefits of partnership are important to our service group. Conference instructs the Service Group Executive to 1)promote partnership within the service group; 2)create partnerships at a national level with key organisations including the employers, their associates and other […]

Funding for Police Staffs

Conference welcomes the push for civilianisation within the Police Reform Act and the additional monies being made available through the Crime Fighting Fund for front line policing. However, no monies have been made available to fund the employment of additional police staffs to support this initiative. The Service Group Executive is therefore called upon to […]

Staff Association

Conference is dissatisfied with the classification of UNISON by our employer and other sections of the police family as a staff association. UNISON is a trade union and as such has statutory rights and status at law. We as trade unionists are proud to be part of the labour movement and are proud of our […]