Negotiating Reasonable Adjustments for Disabled Workers in Higher Education

Conference notes that although Higher Education institutions often pride themselves on the services they offer to disabled students, when it comes to their disabled staff it can sometimes be a different story. Many of our disabled members in Higher Education find that they struggle to access reasonable adjustments. In some cases the employer agrees to […]

Positively promoting Mental Wellbeing in the workplace

Conference has in recent years passed a number of motions relating to helping to tackle the issues around mental health conditions such as encouraging employers to sign up to “Time to change “ or become “Mindful employers”. This has helped to shape the service group’s policy on supporting individuals with existing mental health conditions as […]

Supporting peri and post menopausal workers in the workplace

The UK’s higher education support staff workforce comprises 63% women and over 40% of university support staff are aged 46 and over. The menopause is experienced by women primarily between the ages of 45 to 55, although some may experience it earlier, and it can continue for many years. Symptoms associated with the menopause include […]

Climate change and higher education

UNISON HE conference notes: 1)The Earth’s temperature has already risen by 1.1 degree above pre-industrial levels and that the amount of sheet ice lost annually from the Antarctic has increased six-fold between 1979-2017. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report last autumn warned that we only have 12 years to keep global warming to […]

Defend all Pensions

Conference notes the ongoing attack on our defined benefit (DB) pension schemes and believes that as pensions are deferred pay then any cut to our pension schemes is a direct attack on terms and conditions. Conference notes those branches that have campaigned or are still campaigning to stop any erosion to their pensions which after […]

Understanding the impact of job reductions across the HE Sector.

We all know the well rehearsed arguments: in the face of declining student numbers, political uncertainty, Brexit and the unknown future of tuition income, universities say it is inevitable that jobs must be lost. And through 2019 we saw one after the other HE institute introduce voluntary severance schemes, reorganisations and redundancies, reductions in hours […]

Abandoning the absolute necessity to conduct indicative ballots.

Conference, clearly it is in none of our interests that we conduct a ballot we potentially lose by a long margin if we do not have the pulse of the membership before we move to an industrial action ballot. That will only serve the interests of those who want us to lose the ballot weakening […]

Combatting the far right on campus Motion 2020

Conference Notes: 1)The far-right are attempting to take their message of racism, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism onto university and college campuses. 2)The far-right group ‘Generation Identity’ have appeared on over 20 campuses, holding stunts and meetings. 3)Turning Point UK, a group with links to the alt-right in the US, have attempted to set up student societies […]

Widen Windrush � descendants and families belong too.

The Widen Windrush campaign was initiated by the Movement for Justice, and supported by at least 17 MP�s including Janet Daby MP, Eleanor Smith MP and David Lammy MP. National Black Members and National Delegates Conference of 2018 both also agreed policy supporting this campaign as part of the fight for Windrush justice. The campaign […]

Widen Windrush � descendants and families belong too.

The Widen Windrush campaign was initiated by the Movement for Justice, and supported by at least 17 MP�s including Janet Daby MP, Eleanor Smith MP and David Lammy MP. National Black Members and National Delegates Conference of 2018 both also agreed policy supporting this campaign as part of the fight for Windrush justice. The campaign […]

Minority Ethnic Employment Gap in Scotland

Employment is a fundamental part of people�s lives. Employment provides access to income, housing, health, education, etc. Employment is also a significant underpinning factor for cohesive and integrated communities. Despite decades of legislation and policies aimed at tackling racial discrimination and inequality in the workplace, unemployment rates in Scotland are still significantly higher for non-white […]

Minority Ethnic Employment Gap in Scotland

Employment is a fundamental part of people�s lives. Employment provides access to income, housing, health, education, etc. Employment is also a significant underpinning factor for cohesive and integrated communities. Despite decades of legislation and policies aimed at tackling racial discrimination and inequality in the workplace, unemployment rates in Scotland are still significantly higher for non-white […]

Minority Ethnic Employment Gap in Scotland

Employment is a fundamental part of people�s lives. Employment provides access to income, housing, health, education, etc. Employment is also a significant underpinning factor for cohesive and integrated communities. Despite decades of legislation and policies aimed at tackling racial discrimination and inequality in the workplace, unemployment rates in Scotland are still significantly higher for non-white […]

Cry – Children Missing Campaign

Conference, when a child goes missing in this country, the first thing a parent or carer will do is call 999. We get quick action from the police, along with our community who will get together. But some countries may not have the quick response the way we do. So unfortunately, vital time may be […]

Cry – Children Missing Campaign

Conference, when a child goes missing in this country, the first thing a parent or carer will do is call 999. We get quick action from the police, along with our community who will get together. But some countries may not have the quick response the way we do. So unfortunately, vital time may be […]