Campaigning Against Government Pay Policy

COMPOSITE B CAMPAIGNING AGAINST GOVERNMENT PAY POLICY Conference condemns the Chancellor George Osborne’s statement in December 2011 that he was to ask pay review bodies to consider how public sector pay can vary from region to region, and present him with recommendations by July 2012. Additionally he stated that ‘the Minister for the Cabinet Office […]

Welfare Reform and Universal Credit

COMPOSITE A Welfare Reform and Universal Credit This conference recognises that the ConDem government are intent on undermining the welfare state through the provisions of the Welfare Reform Act. These proposals will have a significant impact on Housing Workers and Benefit Staff in Local Government across the UK. These proposals will adversely impact on jobs, […]

Consultation on LGPS Proposals

This Conference welcomes the completion of the lengthy negotiations on the future of the LGPS and the opportunity for members to now individually and collectively determine their view on the proposals. Conference endorses the following position agreed by the LG Service Group Executive on 31st May 2012: “This SGE shares the frustration over delays in […]

LGPS 2014 Examples

Conference notes that proposals for the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) were released on 31 May 2012. Conference further notes that the factsheet “LGPS 2014 – Examples”, published on UNISON’s website on 31 May uses different assumptions for price and earnings growth than those used in the UNISON pensions calculator publicised in protect our pensions […]

Defend the Knowledge and Skills Framework and promote the Equality Agenda

Conference notes that the Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) has had a turbulent integration within the NHS. There have been widespread variations regarding the success of the KSF across NHS employers. Conference remains committed to the belief that KSF is an in invaluable tool in the NHS and used properly it is a method of […]

Oppose privatisation

Despite successfully fighting privatisation in the majority of the health service, UNISON in Northern Ireland, like other regions, is battling the continued outsourcing of domiciliary care services to the private sector. There is also a continued push for shared services across the health service. Our members are deeply worried about compulsory relocation and redundancies. Conference […]

Campaign against the cuts

Conference notes the Tory led attack on public services and the NHS across the UK. In Northern Ireland the £4.3 billion cut to the block grant to Northern Ireland has had a hugely detrimental impact on public service delivery. Conference is very aware of the significant drain on our Health and Social Care service budgets. […]

Disability discriminination and health workers

This conference is concerned that working conditions for health members are deteriorating and that the use of policies and procedures are being used to the particular detriment of disabled members, eroding both their opportunities for career progression at work and their general living standards. Health employers appear to be failing to meet their employment responsibilities […]

Pensions and disabled members

Drawing a pension is an important part of financial independence in older age. For disabled workers low pay, periods of unemployment, the additional costs associated with being disabled and rising living costs may make it seem too expensive to join – or to stay in – an occupational pension scheme. Government attacks on our pensions […]

Protecting the NHS from theft and fraud

This Conference believes that the Health and Social Care Bill as drafted will make the National Health Service a soft target for thieves and fraudsters. Conference notes with concern that the Bill does not make statutory provision for the prevention, detection or investigation of fraud and theft from the National Health Service and has left […]

Disability Leave Scheme

Conference notes that Disability Leave Scheme is not used consistently across all NHS employers because it may not be supported or easily available to employees within their NHS organisation. Disability Leave Scheme is fundamental in supporting employees with disabilities whose condition may have deteriorated or are receiving new medication, with a period of time off […]

Defending Admin & Clerical Jobs in the NHS

Conference is proud of the approach that UNISON has taken over the years that the NHS only functions efficiently because of “the whole team”. Conference notes that the Autumn Statement almost doubled the numbers of public service staff who will lose their jobs as part of the austerity UK Government’s programme. Conference believes that the […]

Sharps injuries and ancillary staff

This conference would like to reiterate that within the NHS sharps injuries affect both clinical and non-clinical staff. Although injuries to nurses have understandably attracted the media attention (at least 4 UK nurses are known to have died from occupationally acquired blood borne viruses) cleaning staff are particularly at risk as it is they who […]

Health and welfare of ambulance members

The changing demands and nature of the ambulance service is threatening the health and welfare of UNISON ambulance service members. Our members accept that working for the ambulance service is a physically demanding and challenging role. However they also expect employers to do all they can to manage and where possible eliminate the risks to […]

UNISON – the union for ambulance staff

This conference notes the continued work of UNISON over the last twelve months on behalf of ambulance members including: • Supporting ambulance branches to recruit and retain members; • Promoting the profile of ambulance services and staff; • Developing a coherent position on strategic industrial relations and workforce issues whilst maintaining constructive partnership and working […]