UNISON and Devolution

Conference notes the debate around devolution which occurred in 2014 impacted on all parts of the United Kingdom with the referendum on Scottish independence and the subsequent Smith Commission; the passage of the Wales Act 2014; the increased momentum behind combined authorities and “City deals” in England; the Conservative Party’s proposals around “English Votes for […]

Protecting Bus Services

Conference notes the excellent work carried out by the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) in highlighting the widespread cuts to local bus services which have taken place in recent years – in particular their report, “Buses in Crisis: A report on bus funding across England and Wales 2010 – 2015”. Conference notes that the report […]

Energy Efficiency

This conference welcomes the recent focus on domestic energy efficiency and the well documented gains a national programme of energy efficiency measures would achieve. Conference also welcomes the role that UNISON has played in raising awareness of the gains that could be achieved by producing its report ‘warm homes into the future – meeting the […]

Smart Meters

This conference notes that 2015 marks the beginning of the national roll out of smart meters to UK homes and that this roll out should be completed by 2020. Much positive spin has been placed on the net benefits the smart meter programme will deliver, however despite this many concerns have also been raised. Conference […]

Competition and Markets Enquiry

This conference notes that last year the energy regulator Ofgem referred the big six energy companies (British Gas, EDF, E.ON, NPower, SP and SSE) to the Competition and Markets Authority. UNISON has many thousands of members working for these employers. This referral followed an assessment of the sector by Ofgem alongside the Office of Fair […]

Disabled members and facility time

Conference is concerned to hear that facility time within the Energy Sector is being diminished. This particularly affects many representatives who are call takers, this is an occupation undertaken by many disabled members, who are already struggling to meet their targets / attendance due to their disability. Declaring your disability can be a scary thing […]

The Bhopal Disaster 30 years later

Conference notes: 1)That a Scottish Trade Union Delegation to Bhopal participated in events marking the 30th Anniversary of the gas leak disaster of 1984 for which Union Carbide was responsible; 2)That Dow Chemical Company (which now owns Union Carbide) has continued to avoid accountability and evades legal liability; 3)That the people of Bhopal are still […]

European Works Council in Iberdrola

Conference Notes 1)The increasing domination of the UK energy market by European based multinational energy companies and the detrimental impact this has on the influence national trade unions can bring to bear in representing their members. 2)The legal obligations on European companies to establish European Works Councils (EWC’s) to give a voice to employees where […]

Rule D Service Group Executive

Add new rule D 3.5.10: “D 3.5.10 No member who holds a seat on a Service Group Executive can hold a seat on the National Executive Council as a service group representative under Rule D.2.3 at the same time. She/he may stand as a candidate in an election or by-election for a seat on the […]

Rule D National Executive Council

Add new Rule D 2.9: “D 2.9 Meetings of the National Executive Council shall take place, so far as is reasonably practicable, in venues which are accessible to all members eligible to attend.” Renumber as appropriate

Rule D Service Group Executive

D 3.5.8 add at end: “She/he may stand as a candidate in an election or by-election for a seat on a Service Group Executive, subject to Rule D.2.3.4. If elected, she/he will be deemed to have resigned from the National Executive Council from the commencement of the period of office for the Service Group Executive […]

Women Apprentices

Conference notes the much lower number of women who become apprentices in areas such as engineering, construction and information technology, and that occupational segregation within the energy sector is widespread. Whilst there are apprenticeships available for women, female dominated areas tend to offer lower wages and less chance of career progression, therefore women apprentices are […]

Young Workers Month

Conference welcomes the work of UNISON’s National and Regional Young Members Forums to raise the profile of young workers and young members through activity during young workers month, which is now held in November each year under the auspices of the TUC. Conference believes that recruiting young workers and organising young members is an all-year-round […]

Devolution: seizing the opportunities, avoiding the threats

Conference notes that issues around the scale of governance have come to the fore in political debate in recent months. Questions that have become more prominent in the political discussion include: 1)The relationship between the UK and Europe; 2)The relationship between the nations of the UK; 3)The relationship between central and local government. Conference notes […]

Ergonomic Risks to Water Field Based Employees

Recently, Thompsons Solicitors won an out of court settlement against United Utilities for an undisclosed sum on behalf of a UNISON field based Water Inspector member. For several years, this member had used his Toughbook laptop computer in his small works van receiving and sending work on a job by job basis to his central […]