Marketisation of Public Services

Conference believes that the marketisation of public services threatens the advances that have been made in the last 10 years, brought about as a result of a major investment and reform programme resulting in a dramatic cut in NHS waiting lists and waiting times, rising school standards, falling crime, safer communities and improvements in local […]

Attacks on Public Sector Workers: Violence Against Staff

The Emergency Workers (Obstruction) Act 2006 now provides greater protection in law for all emergency workers. A person guilty of an offence under this Act is liable on summary conviction to a fine. The Act follows the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 which made it a specific offence to assault, obstruct or hinder someone providing […]

Access to Work

Conference welcomes the intention of the government to give greater assistance for disabled people and those suffering ill health who seek access to work. However it notes with concern that part of the government’s plans for the reform of Incapacity Benefit and replacement by an Employment and Support Allowance involve A) the potential for sanctions […]

Rise of BNP

Conference notes the: 1)rise of the British National Party (BNP) in the West Midlands and across the country; 2)joint work carried out with Searchlight and Unite Against Fascism (UAF) in campaigning against the BNP; 3)positive steps forward in working with other trade unions and establishing local activists and neighbourhood activities to combat the BNP; 4)establishment […]

Sickness Absence Procedures

Conference notes that: 1)employers are adopting increasingly Draconian procedures which allow for an increase in the disciplining and dismissal of genuinely ill employees; 2)these procedures sometimes fail to abide by equalities legislation including the Disability Discrimination Act; 3)sickness absence can often be traced back to the workplace; 4)employers’ actions such as holding vacant posts, increased […]

Employment Rights

Conference welcomes the new individual employment rights for 2007 but believes that there needs to be a fresh push for an increase in collective trade union rights. In particular, Conference notes the extension of the Information and Consultation of Employees (ICE) regulations for undertaking with greater than 100 employees and the following parts of the […]

Public Services

This is a time of unprecedented change in public services. The government’s reform of our public services seldom translates into anything other than a liberalisation agenda, with markets opened up to the private sector on the false premise that there will be more choice for the ‘consumer’, namely user of public services. The evidence of […]