Opposing the Far Right

Conference notes the ongoing threat from the far right and that across Europe far right political parties exploit the impact of austerity measures and continue to gain support. In parts of Britain Muslims are effectively under siege, already this year there have been arson and other attacks on mosques, firebombing of a Halal shop, and […]

Apprenticeships

UNISON supports the creation of properly-negotiated apprenticeship schemes which pay apprentices at the rate for the job, provide high quality training and which are not used as cheap labour to substitute for existing jobs. UNISON also believes that apprenticeship schemes should seek to tackle gender stereotyping, noting the 2010 TUC and YWCA England and Wales […]

Cops Off the Streets

Like all other public sector service groups, jobs of Police and Justice staff are under intense attack nationally and have been since this Tory/Lib Dem coalition showed their intention soon after being elected to shrink the public sector. We face a ‘double whammy’ in that not only are our frontline jobs being made redundant, we […]

Women and the cuts

Conference notes the attack on women that is being instituted by the Tory-led government. Their first budget showed a disproportionate effect on women which was highlighted by the Fawcett Society. We are all aware that the public sector is being made to pay the price of the excesses of the banking and finance sector. Even […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]