Conference notes that over the next few years the Energy Retailers will be pushing ahead with a national roll out of SMART meter installations. This will be a massive logistical exercise involving many thousands of workers and the probable extensive use of contract labour. Conference endorses UNISON’s position on SMART meters that seeks to emphasise […]
Conference motions
Conference notes that within the energy sector there is an increasing trend of ownership of gas and electricity distribution networks by pension funds and private equity consortia. The sale of network businesses by National Grid, EDF and United Utilities to such owners will likely be added to by other companies seeking to raise funds for […]
Conference notes that four of the big six Energy Companies in the UK are owned by overseas European based multi- nationals. Each of these four companies either already have, or are eligible for, a European Works Council (EWC). Recognising that UNISON has a significant membership base in all the UK’s energy companies it is important […]
Conference is deeply concerned at the cuts to women’s services throughout the country and particularly at recent proposed cuts in Devon. In January one of the major stakeholders, Devon County Council announced that it proposed to withdraw £1.2 million in funding for the Against Domestic Violence Abuse Project (ADVA). The severity and rapidity of these […]
The 2011 Energy Conference notes that Trade Union Accredited H&S or SHE Representatives have a legal right to inspect the workplace 4 times per year. Agreeing dates can be a problem, therefore it is recommended that joint H&S inspections are agreed with management as near as practicable to 13, 26 and 39 weeks after European […]
Conference welcomes the news that the TUC has called a national demonstration for 26 March 2011 and understands that opposition to the austerity measures is gradually building up in the UK with demonstrations having already taken place as well as lobbies of Parliament and protests nationwide following the Con Dem announcement of eighty three billion […]
This Conference recognises that some aspects of government’s proposals published in ‘Universal Credit’ (November 2010) to reform the state welfare system are reportedly designed to make it easier for a single assessment of need. Such a system should relieve some of the burdensome pressure of women to make duplicate applications to a number of statutory […]
This Conference is concerned that while many Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) have a positive experience of working for the NHS, some feel that they no longer have good career prospects and that there is a lack of training opportunities for AHPs. This means that therapists have limited chances to develop a wide range of skills […]
Conference notes with concern the twin developments of the commitment of the Tory-Liberal Government to an ‘any willing provider’ approach to NHS services and the erosion of the value of TUPE as a protection for NHS staff transferred to other providers. Previously TUPE, the Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Transfers in the Public Sector […]
Conference believes that the policies of the current government pose the greatest threat to living standards of health workers of any time in the 63 years of the NHS. Conference thinks that the government is using the deficit as an opportunity to cut the public sector paybill rather than increase taxation to those responsible for […]
Conference re-affirms its commitment to the development of apprenticeships within the NHS and notes the success of the last Labour Government in significantly increasing the number of apprenticeships in the NHS in England. Apprenticeships in the NHS can be used as a significant career development tool for new and existing staff providing the means of […]
Conference notes that some NHS Foundation Trusts, such as Norfolk and Norwich, have been attempting to break from the national NHS pay and conditions embodied in Agenda for Change. We believe that this amounts to a fundamental attack on the safeguards on pay and conditions that a national scheme provides, and opens the door to […]
In a bid to save money, many health boards are focusing on the nursing wages bill and are using unsustainable tactics, such as freezing posts, not replacing registered nurses when they leave or retire and converting vacant registered nurse posts to a lower grade as they cost less. Despite all of the repeated assurances, from […]
Conference is concerned that, following the government’s decision that all NHS trusts will be expected to become foundation trusts, there is a real danger that we will see a major shift away from our hard fought and negotiated terms and condition of employment under Agenda for Change. We have already seen some foundation trusts take […]
This Conference is concerned that too few health staff have the facility to take negotiated disability leave when their impairment or long term health condition requires them to take time off work. In particular we are concerned that specific non apparent impairments relating to auto immune deficiencies including Rheumatoid Arthritis, HIV, Lupus, Ankylosing Spondylitis etc […]