KSF and Learning in the NHS

Conference notes that the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) is the custom-built development 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 […]

Organising and Recruitment

Conference welcomes and endorses the Million Voices for Public Services campaign, which highlights that UNISON members care passionately about the services they provide and want to see changes that put people before profit and public interest before private greed. As the largest trade union in health, UNISON is best placed to ensure that those working […]

Partnership Working and Twin Track Approach

Conference welcomes the achievements that partnership working at national, regional and local level has brought over the past decade. UNISON has worked to pioneer partnership working throughout the NHS and in all four countries of the UK. The experience has shown conclusively that partnership can deliver real gains for health staff and union members as […]

Local Government Reserves; employment and public services for disabled people

Conference congratulates the East Midlands UNISON Region and Nottinghamshire UNISON Branch on their campaign to protect jobs and services and in particular their success in forcing the newly elected Conservative Council to delay the sale of residential care homes, retain community transport for 2010/11 and reduce planned increases in meals on wheels prices. Conference recognises […]

Training and Support for Personal Assistants

UNISON represents over 300,000 members working in all aspects of social care. It is now over 10 years since direct payments were first introduced for adults of working age. More recently they were extended to older people and to carers and parents of disabled children. It is estimated that there are now over 55,000 direct […]

Social Care, Privatisation and Disability

Conference restates its support for the principle that disabled people should have as much independence and control over their own care and support arrangements as is right for them whether by opting for local authority provision or through direct payments, provision should be subjected to a level playing field of regulation regimes, financial scrutiny, employment […]

School Support Staff

As a largely female, low paid workforce, organising and recruiting school support staff to improve terms and conditions has to be at the heart of UNISON’s agenda. The newly developed School Support Staff Negotiating Body will provide an opportunity to address discrepancies in pay and working conditions in schools. Conference will be aware of the […]

Sector Bargaining

Conference rejects calls by politicians and academics for local or individual bargaining in Local Government. Conference notes that the Local Government Employers (LGE) has given notice to terminate the JNC for Craft Workers to incorporate them into the NJC bargaining machinery. LGE have for some time been considering single table bargaining for all local government […]

Because You’re Worth It

Conference rejects the Local Government Employers’ ‘pay freeze’ imposed on the 1.4 million local government workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Conference deplores the fact that the employers have come to such a position without any negotiation. So far no offer has been made in Scotland in response to the SJC TU side pay […]

YOUNG BLACK WORKERS REPRESENTATION IN UNISON AND THE APPRENTICESHIP SCHEMES

It is well known that young people are the future of this organisation and with that in mind we need a targeted advertising campaign to recruit more young Black members into UNISON, working directly with NUS Black Student campaign, UNISON young members and other Black orientated youth organisations. This conference is also aware that Apprenticeship […]

Medical Procedures in Schools, Colleges and Nurseries

Conference notes that education has become more inclusive with increasing numbers of children and young people attending mainstream schools, colleges and nurseries and extended school services. UNISON supports inclusive education but believes, for the safety and well being of children and staff, this must be adequately resourced, planned and supported. Conference further notes that UNISON […]

Green Jobs, Green Services, Green Workplace Reps

Conference is alarmed at the 15,000 local government redundancies across the UK in the 15 months to February this year and deplores the negative consequences for the individuals affected and local economies dependent on their spending power. Conference notes that in an otherwise austere pre-Budget report, an additional £150 million was announced for the ‘Warm […]

Private Social Work Practice Pilots

This Conference notes: The Children and Young Person’s Act 2008 and the piloting of independent ‘Social Work Practices’ to care for ‘Looked after Children’. That ‘Looked after Children’ are a very vulnerable group of young people who are cared for by the state either due to them being removed from the care of their family […]

Pension Rights for Civil Partners

Conference welcomes the decision by government to agree new LGPS regulations that extend pensionable service for civil partner survivors’ pensions to include pre-1988 service, so that entitlement is equal to that of married couples. Conference acknowledges that the issue of survivor benefits for civil partners has been pushed by UNISON at every opportunity, in responding […]

Absence Monitoring and Measurement for Women

Conference notes with concern the increase in absence monitoring within local government. Conference believes that the management tools used have a detrimental and disproportionate affect on women employees, when employers may use such scoring systems in the process of selection for redundancy, or as an excuse for dismissal when seeking to cut staff numbers. Schemes […]