Resourcing For Devolution

Conference notes that the Westminster Government continued austerity measures are devastating local authority services and undermining our communities across the UK. UNISON members are facing mass redundancies; threats of privatisation; cuts to pay and terms and conditions and massively increased workloads and pressure. In these core and common issues UNISON can and should continue to […]

Organising and Representing Chief Officers and Senior Managers in Local Authorities

Conference notes that massive cuts have been made across local government, with billions of pounds of central government funding removed since 2010. By 2019/20 local councils will lose £75 out of every £100 that the government spent in 2015/16, and thousands more services will have been lost. UNISON members who are chief officers and senior […]

Supporting our activists who have to deal with stressful situations

Conference notes that being a trade union activist has always been difficult and stressful as we regularly deal with members who face difficult and challenging situations. Conference further notes things have got much tougher in recent times with the pressures of dealing with the impact of austerity on our members, service users and our union. […]

New Local Government Pensions Scheme Investment Regulations and Asset Pooling

Conference welcomes the national UNISON briefing of January 2016 – New Local Government Pensions Scheme Investment Regulations and Asset Pooling. In particular, Conference believes that local government pension funds must be able to decide where to invest their money in the best interests of present and future pensioners, and should not have their investment decisions […]

New Local Government Pensions Scheme Investment Regulations and Asset Pooling

This conference welcomes the national UNISON briefing of January 2016 – New Local Government Pensions Scheme Investment Regulations and Asset Pooling. In particular conference believes that local government’s pension funds must be able to decide where to invest their money in the best interests of present and future pensioners, and should not have their investment […]

Single Status and Equality Legislation

Despite UK and EU equality legislation, there are still many women in local government paid much less than they should be compared to men. Conference believes government policy both in equality and industrial relations terms is rendering equal pay legislation less effective and undermining the role of collective bargaining in delivering equality. Conference notes with […]

TTIP and Local Government

Conference notes with great concern the implications of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) for local government and its workforce across the UK. These include: 1)The removal of so-called ‘non tariff’ barriers to trade such as environmental concerns and health and safety regulations; 2)The Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism which could leave councils […]

Rule D Regional Structure

Rule D 3.6.5 Add at the end: “(unless the Service Group Executive representatives are also branch delegates).”

Food Standards Agency – Pay, Terms and Conditions

Conference notes that our members employed by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and its contractors are constantly under the threat of being deregulated out of employment. They continue to face bullying, harassment and attacks in the workplace, as well as erosion to their pay and benefits. Conference also notes that the […]

Organising for Growth in the Community and Voluntary Sector

Conference notes that the Community and Voluntary sector is a growing a part of the delivery of public services. Conference notes that many employers in this sector have little track record or culture in dealing with trade unions. As a consequence there are many instances where employees suffer from poor terms and conditions of employment […]

Campaign for a Living Pension

Elderly and retired people deserve to have a decent state pension. Conference asserts that the state pension is not a benefit but is ours by right. Conference believes that older people are being hit particularly hard by current austerity measures. The basic State Retirement Pension which for many from April, 2016 will be £119.30 (for […]

Fuel Poverty – The Cold Truth

Conference notes that in 2010 the winter fuel allowance was reduced by 25% for people for people aged over 80 and by 33% for people under 80 years of age. Furthermore the reduced payment has been frozen since that time. Conference further notes that: 1)To mark Fuel Poverty Awareness Day (27 February) the National Energy […]

EU Trade Agreements

Conference notes that negotiations are continuing on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) whilst ratification process of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is likely to start this year. Conference notes that the trade agreements will have a huge impact on future global trade and investment […]

Branch Self Organised Groups

Conference celebrates the fact the since the birth of UNISON self-organisation has had an essential and continuing role in the development and participation of Black, Women, Disabled people and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender members. However, many of UNISON branches do not have their own local Self Organised Group (SOGs). One of the barriers to […]

Decision of the UNISON NJC committee to accept two

Conference deplores the decision of the National Joint Council (NJC) Committee, on 27 April 2016, on a divided vote, to accept the pay offer from the employers for local government workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (the Local Government Association – LGA). This decision is deeply flawed for a number of reasons: 1. The […]