Review of the National Lay Membership Structure

This conference notes the actions taken to date by the Executive regarding the review of the Energy, Transport and Water and Environment service group structures at national level. Conference notes the outcome of the consultation exercise with all three service groups. Conference further notes that the majority of Water and Environment branches who responded have […]

“Fresh Start” Initiative for Schools

This Local Government Service Group opposes the Government’s “Fresh Start” initiative, introduced purportedly to give support to schools deemed to be failing. The “Fresh Start” scheme is fatally flawed because it forces staff at a school to reapply for their jobs at a time when continuity of staff is most needed, for their knowledge of […]

Negotiating an end to disability discrimination

This Local Government Conference applauds the work undertaken by UNISON’s National Disabled Members Committee to promote negotiated agreements that make provision for Disability Leave. We are concerned that there is no adequate legislative provision to compel employers who provide services in Local Government to disregard disability-related absence and the consequence of this in relation to […]

Winning the Organised College

This Conference notes that UNISON’s primary objective is recruitment and organisation. It also notes that membership in colleges is less than 30% of its potential. The campaign to achieve implementation of the two-year deal in further education presents an ideal organising opportunity. It also requires college-level negotiations on elements of the agreement, such as job […]

Work-Life Balance and Women

This Conference is concerned that women in predominately low paid jobs in Local Government are being denied access to work life balance/flexible working. Work/life balance is about introducing greater flexibility in the way people go about their work. Balancing work and family is one of the most important issues facing women in the 21st century. […]

The Future of Residential Care for Older People

This Conference: 1)Congratulates UNISON on the campaign against the two-tier workforce which culminated in the introduction of the Workforce Matters Code (March 2003) 2)Notes with alarm that companies who are attempting to take over residential care homes are looking at ways to avoid the code as they can only make profits by operating with a […]

Fragmentation of the Local Government Workforce

Local government in the last few years has witnessed some key changes in how services are being delivered. Best Value has forced local authorities to review each of their services. Many have remained in-house but many have used the opportunity to transfer services to different providers. Large scale transfers have been witnessed in Lincolnshire, Blackburn […]

Government 10 Year Transport Plan – The Role of the Workforce

Conference welcomes the Government’s decision to review progress on achieving the aims of its 10 Year Transport Plan which, so far, has failed to produce any major improvements in public transport provision, significantly reduce road congestion and reduce deaths and casualties on out roads and railways. Conference notes that policy makers often overlook the role […]

Public Service – Public Transport?

This Conference notes that the Tory legacy of privatising local bus services in 1986 and the deregulation of rail services in 1994 has failed the travelling public of Britain miserably. This Conference calls upon the Transport Service Group Executive, in liaison with the NEC, to lobby the Government to reverse this failing Tory legislation and […]

Contractor Deaths on Water Sites

This Water and Environment Conference is very concerned about the decline in safety standards on sites such as those managed by United Utilities whereby three sub-contractors (including one aged 17) have died since Autumn 2003″. We call upon UNISON’s lay and paid officials on the (National) Water and Environment Service Group Executive with responsibility for […]

Devolved Government and Transport

Conference notes the statement by Alistair Darling, MP, the Secretary of State for Transport, which foresees the Scottish Executive, Welsh Assembly and Regional Assemblies in England taking more responsibility for transport. Conference welcomes this development which is an important step in delivering better and more integrated public transport services. Conference acknowledges, however, that this development […]

Review of Lay Structures

This Conference recognises the need to constantly review our organisation to ensure that the needs of members are met in the most effective way. As part of the current review, Conference instructs the Transport Service Group Executive to work with the National Executive Council to ensure that there is one seat on the National Executive […]

Partnership Fund

This Water and Environment Service Group Conference notes the existence of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Partnership Fund which is established to jointly improve workers lives where partnerships exist. We note that both Thames Water and United Utilities jointly with the Trade Unions have recently been successful in obtaining £50K and £45.5K respectively […]

Paying for Water Services

This conference recognises that a new basis for paying for water services should to be found to replace the existing outdated rateable value based system. Conference believes that any new system has to ensure that sufficient income is generated to maintain a properly trained and adequately resourced workforce. Conference further recognises that consumers will expect […]

Fair Pay in the Environment Agency

This Water and Environment Service Group Conference notes that the Performance Related Pay (PRP) system operating within the Environment Agency provides an unfair pay system to many of our members employed by the Agency. This Conference is aware that the current PRP system in place is; Discriminatory Inefficient Subjective Discredits equalities and does not reflect […]