Universal Credit

Conference recognises the threat to thousands of local authority workers’ jobs who currently administer Housing Benefit due to the Westmister Government’s decision to replace in and out of work benefits and Housing Benefits with a ‘Universal Credit’. UNISON will need to respond robustly to defend members jobs and to retain a locally accessible provision for […]

Campaigning Against the Tory Led Government

Conference condemns the Tory led Government’s savage and ideological attack on working people and the institutions and services upon which they rely. In addition to the deepest and most sustained cuts to public spending in living memory, we are also witnessing wholesale attempts to dismantle the welfare state and to undermine the concept of collective […]

The Coalition Government Attacks on Public Services and the Trade Union Response

Conference condemns the Coalition government’s concerted attacks on public services and the welfare state. These attacks are driven by political ideology, not economics – a continuation of the Thatcher/Major government commitment to free market economics which cynically exploits and exaggerates the effects of the economic downturn to roll back the welfare state and open up […]

Tri- Borough Merger (Shared Services)

This Conference deplores the recent announcement of the tri-borough merger of Hammersmith and Fulham, Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea we are now seeing the brutal attacks to our terms and conditions, job’s and pensions. Over the next three years the tri-borough proposal are suggesting that there will be a saving of 35 million a year […]

The Public Sector Equality Duty

Conference notes that the Equality Act 2010 harmonised former equality legislation – the Sex Discrimination Act, the Disability Discrimination Act and the Race Relations (amendment) Act and related legislation. Although the 2010 Act failed to meet the aspirations of many interested parties, including UNISON, there are significant benefits for employees and public sector services. However, […]

Nursing and Midwifery Council Support or Rhetoric

Conference notes that registered nurses have an obligation under the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (NMC) Code of Conduct to formally raise any concerns they have about patient safety. This is also incorporated into the NHS Constitution (England). We also note the importance of raising concerns about poor standards of patient care, in the wake of […]

Training and development: crucial to the NHS

This Conference believes that proper training and development opportunities are essential for all those working for the NHS, regardless of what function they perform, if it is to maintain the standards crucial to the care of patients. For young staff, particularly those working in ancillary and administrative roles, looking to having careers in the NHS […]

Targeted Organising and Recruitment

Conference notes that the NHS in England is witnessing one of the most radical reform agendas ever and public service cuts are beginning to hit health services hard in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These challenges will have a huge impact on less organised workplaces where non-unionised staff density is high. Conference also notes that, […]

NHS Knowledge & Skills Framework and Learning in the NHS

Conference notes that the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) is the tool that supports career and pay progression for all NHS staff on Agenda for Change contracts. As an integral part of Agenda for Change, the KSF gives staff a contractual right to access learning and development opportunities at work. Conference recognises that, whilst […]

Partnership Working in Difficult Times

Conference believes that the greatest test of the effectiveness of social partnership between governments, employers and trade unions is whether it can deliver real gains for staff and patients in difficult times. Conference recognises that, since 1997, partnership working has delivered real benefits for NHS staff and helped improve patient care, in all four countries […]

Health and Safety Enforcement

Last year this conference welcomed the findings of the Boorman Report which highlighted the importance of: 1)The health & well being of NHS staff and the link between this and positive patient outcomes 2)Good quality occupational health services 3)Early interventions aimed at tackling the underlying causes of ill health and injury in the NHS such […]