Part Time is Not Second Best

The Women and Work Commission report has once again highlighted the need for quality part-time work to be available to women if the gender pay gap is ever to be closed. LG part-time women earn a mere 58% of full-time men working in local government 85% of NJC workers on points 4-6 are part time, […]

Local Government Reorganisation

This Conference is alarmed at the most recent developments in the continuing saga of reorganising the structure of local government in England. Ad hoc consultations with Council leaders and Chief Executives and statements appearing to favour some form of neighbourhood governance have undermined confidence in the Government’s ability to promote a clear strategy for finding […]

Pay Campaign 2006

Conference notes the imminent end of the current three-year pay deal and recognises the need to prepare a pay claim for 2007. Conference therefore calls on the National Local Government Service Group Executive to commence the process of engaging with members and Branches to assemble a claim which has the widespread support of the membership. […]

Funding of Local Government

Conference notes the financial pressures on Councils in the Northern Region –Expectation for Councils to deliver year on year 2.5% efficiency gains following the Gershon review –Cost of implementing single Status (£90 million in the region to date). –Increased contributions to Local Government Pension funds –Capping of council tax increases by Central Government Government funding […]

Homeworking

Conference recognised that for employees and Local Government employers, homeworking is likely to become commonplace and this raises trade union concerns for members. It is clear that this system of working may have advantages for our members. Therefore, it is essential that an in depth analysis is commissioned by UNISON taking into account a wide […]

Labour Migration

UNISON warmly welcomes the enormous contribution that workers from overseas have made to our society. In particular we welcome their contribution to the effective running of our public services and to the diversity of our culture. In an increasingly globalised world the rate of labour migration has risen dramatically and is likely to continue to […]

Rehabilitation Services for Disabled People

This conference believes that disabled people should be entitled to an holistic assessment of their needs and to receive services to meet those needs, including rehabilitation and other support services. These services should be provided by appropriately trained and paid local authority staff within a good career structure. Conference welcomes the campaign by “The Guide […]

Pensions

Conference: 1)recognises that the campaign for decent pensions must be central to our union’s campaigning over the coming year; 2)calls on the government to accept that the country’s pensioners have already waited too long to receive a less unfair share of the country’s increased prosperity; 3)welcomes the increasing support for the view that there should […]

Rule D.4 Self-Organised Groups

Rule D.4.5.2, after “Regional Council” delete “or” and replace with “and” Rule D.6.4, after “shall be entitled to” insert “form a Regional Retired Members’ Forum and” Add new Rule D.6.5: “6.5The Retired Members’ Forum may formulate proposals, motions or other proposals to the appropriate Regional Council and Regional Committee. Such proposals or motions may be […]

Elections 2007 and Beyond

In 2007 elections will take place for the Scottish Parliament, Scottish local authorities, the Welsh Assembly, Welsh local authorities and many local authorities in England. Conference notes that these bodies are responsible for spending billions of pounds on public services and employing either directly or indirectly the majority of UNISON members in those areas. Conference […]

Affordable Child Care Delivered by Properly Trained and Fairly Paid Childcare Workers

Conference commends UNISON’s commitment to campaigning for high quality, affordable childcare by properly trained and fairly paid child care workers. It also requires that childcare facilities should be suitably located in the vicinity of places of work. The campaigning must also bear in mind the needs of lone parents, parents in deprived areas and parents […]

Protecting and Organising Migrant Workers

Conference notes the growing importance of migrant workers to the United Kingdom (UK) economy. Employers are increasingly dependent on migrant labour to fill professional and skilled vacancies due to a shortage of UK candidates with the required experience or skills. Without these workers, a number of sectors would suffer, particularly health and childcare. Conference therefore […]

Private Sector Transfers and the Race Relations (Amendment) Act

More public services are being transferred out of the public sector and as a result members are now finding themselves based in the private sector where the lack of statutory duty under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 with private sector employers results in less protection against race discrimination in the workplace. Conference notes the […]

Citizenship Rights

Conference deplores the fact that children born in this country can be denied citizenship rights depending upon the nationality of their parents. Conference notes that this disgraceful discrimination on grounds of nationality disporportionately disadvantages black and minority ethnic people and that an increasing number of young people have, for example, difficulty in obtaining passports to […]

Local Government Restructuring

Conference understands that a White Paper on local government restructuring will be published in the autumn 2006 for legislation to be implemented by 2008. Conference believes that services in districts and counties in those areas affected will be subject to major disruption with severe cost implications and consequential impact on staff. Public statements so far […]