Improving Local Services

Conference endorses UNISON’s support for world class public services and commits itself to working with councils to achieve that aim. However, Conference believes that the Government’s approach centres on a ‘big stick’ approach to performance management, rather than serious investment in staff and services, which hinders, rather than helps councils and staff to improve. While […]

Local Government Service Group Executive Report

This Conference receives the report of the Local Government Service Group Executive.

Workforce Training and Development

Conference notes that the government’s emphasis on improvement in local government service delivery continues. While Conference supports the call for top quality public services, Conference also believes that an increase in investment in local government workforce development and training is central to the improvement of local government services. Conference welcomes the joint work with the […]

Lessons from the 2002/3 Local Government (England, Northern Ireland and Wales) Pay Dispute

This Conference welcomes the report on ‘Lessons from the 2002/3 Local Government (England, Northern Ireland and Wales) Pay Dispute’. Conference also notes that a similar exercise took place in Scotland post the 1999 dispute. Conference calls on the SGE to ensure that its recommendations are acted upon at all levels of the union, after discussion […]

Privatisation and Fair Wages

Conference condemns the Government’s continuing push for privatisation of local government services. It notes that this has been accompanied by a failure to address either the weakness of the TUPE regulations or the broader problems of the two-tier workforce in privatised services. However, Conference, welcomes the Scottish Protocol on Public Private Partnerships which recommend that […]

Service Group Conference

This Conference supports the principle that consideration of prioritised motions should remain the primary function of Conference but also makes the following recommendations: 1)That participation in the prioritisation process be promoted 2)That conference time be allocated for a maximum of two external speakers of strategic importance to members in the local government service group 3)That […]

Pensions

Conference reaffirms the continued right of all our members providing local government services to a decent pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). Conference also calls for an adequate state pension which does not penalise our low paid members through the means testing ‘clawback’ of their LGPS contributions. Conference notes that the average local […]

Non-Standard and Unsocial Hours Working

This Conference is aware that many local government workers are in “24/7” services working irregular and demanding shifts where “flexibility” is all on the employers side and little or no compensation is made for the disruption in family life and the bad effects on health. Conference instructs the Service Group Executive to investigate the amount […]

Timing of Local Government Conference

Conference notes the current link between the Local Government Service Group Conference and the National Delegate Conference both being held in June. Whilst it is recognised that there are cost savings achieved by the linkage, holding the Service Group Conference at this time is no longer appropriate. Since the introduction of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement […]

Recruitment and Retention of Young Workers in Local Government

Conference notes: 1)That the crisis in recruitment and retention of staff in the public sector has recently been identified by the Audit Commission report “Recruitment and Retention: A public services workforce for the 21st Century”. 2)That this crisis is particularly acute in local government where 75% of councils surveyed nationally by UNISON report difficulties in […]

Funding for Police Staffs

Conference welcomes the push for civilianisation within the Police Reform Act and the additional monies being made available through the Crime Fighting Fund for front line policing. However, no monies have been made available to fund the employment of additional police staffs to support this initiative. The Service Group Executive is therefore called upon to […]

Use of Non-typical Contracts

Conference is concerned about the creeping use of non typical contracts such as fixed term, zero hours and agency staff to cover for staffing shortfalls which are not short term. Conference believes that the growing use of agency staff by police forcxes is evidence of a poor terms and conditions package in many police forces. […]

PSSC Handbook

Conference is concerned over the lack of information provided to branches on this important issue. Conference further instructs that no agreement is to be reached until branches have been consulted on the overall document.

Staff Association

Conference is dissatisfied with the classification of UNISON by our employer and other sections of the police family as a staff association. UNISON is a trade union and as such has statutory rights and status at law. We as trade unionists are proud to be part of the labour movement and are proud of our […]

Getting Noticed

Conference notes that the Service Group appears not to have made use of the Labour Link or the GPF in its campaigning agenda. Conference believes that the SGE should make contact with the GPF and the APF with a view to maximising the facilities and possible funding available to assist the service group. Conference instructs […]