Conference notes that the Westminster Coalition government’s ‘austerity’ measures are causing devastation across local authorities and other UK public services. UNISON members working in them are facing redundancies, cuts to pay and conditions, increased workloads and increasing privatisation. Integration of social care and health is a further issue affecting all four UK nations. Conference recognises […]
Conference motions
Conference we welcome the UNISON model procurement agreement, and we know that a number of Councils have now signed such a procurement agreement. Conference notes that the combination of privatisation and cuts leads to the fragmentation of local services. By getting involved at the beginning of the process it will ensure that information from the […]
This Special Conference believes that the decision taken by the National Joint Council (NJC) Committee on 9th October to call off strike action due to have taken place on 14th October was a grave error of judgement. In particular conference is critical of the communication with branches and members. We note that: 9th October the […]
Conference notes that UNISON quite rightly has led the campaign against the Government’s public sector pay restraint policy. Local Government Conference in June 2014 agreed a pay strategy at the core of which was engagement of our membership in determining our pay strategy. The Northern Region recognises the impact of the Government’s pay policy and […]
Conference believes that the decision taken by the National Joint Council (NJC) Committee on 9 October, to call off strike action due to have taken place on 14 October was a grave error of judgment. In particular, Conference criticises; 1)The decision to characterise the “revised” proposals as “the best that can be achieved by negotiation” […]
This Conference believes that the decision taken by the National Joint Council (NJC) Committee on 9th October 2014 was a complete denial of the intention and basis of the Local Government pay consultation protocol which sets out the need for extensive consultation with members. Conference further believes that; 1)that in future, decisions to suspend previously […]
This conference notes: 1)The profoundly disappointing outcome of the 2014 NJC pay dispute, which effectively resulted in another real terms pay cut for the vast majority of members across local government and left tens of thousands of the lowest paid on hourly rates still below the current Living Wage. 2)The employers’ proposal that was the […]
Conference condemns the continuing refusal by the government to give public service workers, and particularly local government staff, a proper pay rise. Years of pay freezes and pay caps in local government mean that many of our members are now forced to rely on in-work benefits or to take on extra jobs; in some cases […]
Conference condemns the continued attacks on the funding of Local Government. These cuts are the biggest threat to the continued survival of the concept of locally provided services controlled by democratically elected councils. Conference deplores the local government cuts across the UK, leading to:- 1. continuing cuts to local government services; 2. continued attacks on […]
Conference austerity is having a severe and negative effect not just on the pocket but also on the health and well being of UK citizens, especially Black people within their communities. With research showing an increase in job losses for Black members through reorganisations and restructures and some of these situations leading to an increase […]
Conference is disturbed to hear, that despite the introduction of the minimum wage in 1999 by a Labour Government, some employers in the care sector both in the community and private sectors are still paying their staff a pittance. Working in a care home or looking after the most vulnerable people in our society in […]
Conference notes with concern the insecurity facing workers in the community and voluntary sector, many of whom are low paid women workers. Many voluntary sector organisations provide services via contracts from local government and health authorities, and cuts in public spending are inevitably impacting on the funding of these services and therefore on our members. […]
In UNISON more than 70% of our total membership are women. UNISON is committed to fair representation and proportionality (Rule D4.1). However, we know in the public sector where many of our members are Black Women we see very few represented at Branch, Regional and Committee level; despite statistics nationally telling us that Black people […]
UNISON’s long-standing campaigns on equality, human rights and anti-racism make us an attractive and welcoming union for Black members and for migrant workers. As a result we have a large and growing Black and migrant workers membership and strong self organised groups for Black members. However, racism remains ever present in society. In Northern Ireland, […]
Physical and mental well-being cannot be taken for granted, especially in today’s climate of an ever increasing workload, job cuts, austerity measures in services and service providers, the threat of redundancy and the pressure for some securing and sustaining employment, workplace stress, are some of the factors many people are now trying to deal with. […]