Conference condemns the Government’s ‘Communities Plan’ released on 6 February 2003. This is effectively a plan to remove English local authority housing from local democratic control and transfer staff to a plethora of other employers. Conference notes that local authorities will only be able to choose three investment options: stock transfer; the Private Finance Initiative […]
Conference motions
Conference notes publication in May 2002 by the Government of ‘Your Region – Your Choice – Revitalising the English Regions’. Conference re-affirms its general commitment to regional government and the potential offered by it to: 1)‘Draw down’ powers from central government and enhance local democracy 2)Democratise the ‘quango state’ and Government Offices in the regions […]
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 […]
Conference notes the current link between the Local Government Service Group Conference and the National Delegate Conference both being held in June. Whilst it is recognised that there are cost savings achieved by the linkage, holding the Service Group Conference at this time is no longer appropriate. Since the introduction of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement […]
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 […]
Conference is concerned at the ever-increasing number of women suffering from breast cancer and the postcode lottery of treatment and survival rates that still operate throughout the United Kingdom and blights women’s lives. Conference is concerned that women living in rural areas/small towns are only invited for breast cancer screening when the mobile unit is […]
Twelve million women in the United Kingdom are aged 45 or over and the number is increasing. Many of these women spend longer in paid employment, making an important contribution to the economy and public services. Unfortunately, little interest has been taken in the impact this has had on this neglected group’s physical, emotional and […]
This Conference congratulates its members working in further education colleges on the first national strike across the sector. It notes their success in achieving an improved offer for members despite continued intransigence from the employer’s side. However, the Conference recognises the need to build on the success of this action to improve levels of organisation […]
Conference condemns the Government’s rating system for local authorities as little more than an attempt to divert public attention away from the real issue of prolonged under-funding. A league table of ratings is so general and simplistic that it will not even provide a realistic basis for identifying to the public which individual pieces within […]
Conference notes with concern that politician and media references to public services tend to be limited to nurses and teachers or in this last year fire-fighters. UNISON’s largest service group, those who work in local government, have a wide diversity of jobs, but are rarely mentioned. Conference believes that imbalance of awareness needs to be […]
C.2.6.1 delete “immediately”. Add new sub-paragraph: “C.2.6.2Persons in paid employment in areas where UNISON does not organise, eligible for retired membership as set out in C.2.6.1, can apply for retired membership when they cease to be in paid employment.” Renumber old sub-paragraph C.2.6.2 to C.2.6.3 and in second sentence delete “only” Add new sub-paragraphs: “C.2.6.4They […]
Conference notes that members of the House of Commons have agreed to amend their pension scheme and among the changes are benefits for surviving unmarried partners albeit the benefits have only been extended by requiring an increase in contributions. UNISON has campaigned for a similar extension of benefits in the public service pension schemes where […]
This Conference welcomes the “Raising Standards and Tackling Workload” national agreement signed up to by UNISON and other unions representing members in schools. The agreement recognises the long standing anomalies facing UNISON members working as school support staff and offers the best opportunity for years to rectify these problems. It also lends weight to the […]
Conference welcomes UNISON’s continuing commitment to achieving equal pay and is pleased to note that the campaign continues to be a priority area for the Local Government Service Group. Conference also notes the establishment of the Local Government Pay Commission and welcomes its role in addressing the long term problem of equal pay within Local […]
This Conference notes with concern the continued practice of ring fencing local government finance to initiatives decided by National Governments. The practice of ring fencing has a number of negative effects on local government and these include: 1)The fact that such money is often dressed up in the media as new money for existing services […]