Conference calls on the Service Group Executive (SGE) to explore ways in which to increase Black Member representation within the SGE including the Police and Probation Sectors. The SGE must: 1)Consider best practice with an emphasis on representation and inclusion; 2)Report back to the Police & Justice conference in 2024.
Conference motions
Young members are the future of our union and it is important that we provide as much support as possible within the workplace, enabling them to see the value of trade union membership within the Police Service. Not only do we need to support young members at work, we need to encourage them to become […]
Conference is aware of the escalating levels of cuts in education in Northern Ireland. UNISON members are facing the severe impact of an imposed budget by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland . More than 70 million pounds has been slashed from immediate spending. This follows on from a previous demand that £200 million […]
Conference notes the impact that the Conservative government’s pledge to recruit 20000 police officers, known in policing as Operation Uplift, has had on the job security and career progression of police staff. Conference believes that the financial arrangements surrounding the pledge are forcing Chief Officers to place police officers into roles that would otherwise be […]
Conference notes that Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections are scheduled to take place on the 2nd May 2024. Of those PCCs elected in 2021, 30 were Conservative, 8 were Labour and 1 was Plaid Cymru. Conference further notes that three police services (Greater Manchester, the Metropolitan Police and West Yorkshire Police) are instead governed […]
Conference believes that serving Police Staff should have same right as any member of the public to make a complaint against police if they are poorly treated or mistakes are made by Police colleagues from their home force when a staff member becomes a victim of crime or an alleged offender when off duty. Conference […]
Conference notes that there is a lack of diversity among field-based operational roles within the WET industries. This is a real cause for concern as it hinders the creation of an inclusive and welcoming work environment in WET industries. Field-based operational roles within WET are mostly roles that involve lone working, for example monitoring and […]
Conference notes the significant changes to working patterns and practices that have happened since the pandemic, including a large rise in remote and hybrid working, including in the Water, Environment and Transport (WET) sector employers. Conference believes greater flexibility should be welcomed where this works for staff – for example, some disabled workers may find […]
UNISON has approximately 5,000 Health and Safety representatives across the union working hard to defend members’ health and safety at work. Over the past few years health and safety has emerged again as critical for protecting members’ rights at work, especially in the Water, Environment and Transport (WET) service group. However, the gender balance of […]
Conference notes that since the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a marked shift towards home or hybrid working in the WET sector. In pre-pandemic times, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender plus (LGBT+) workers faced challenges in the workplace, including discrimination, harassment and a lack of inclusivity. While we note that there are advantages to agreed […]
Conference notes the success of UNISON’s Year of Disabled Workers 2022. With the year now over, we have seen renewed focus on the experience of disabled members in our union, in the workplace and in society, including those in the WET service group. We used the year to highlight the important contribution our disabled members […]
Conference notes with concern the evidence that the last few years have shown there to be an increasing deterioration in good mental health of workers across public services and including in Water, Environment and Transport (WET) workplaces. This impact was significantly exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic which saw people cut off from family, friends, and […]
More than ever, water quality is at the forefront of public consciousness. Due to Ofwat’s regulatory approach, which prioritises value for money for the consumer, and the companies adopting risk-based strategies to deliver maximum profits for their owners, little money is spent on maintaining infrastructure. This issue has been brought to light with the increased […]
Conference notes the Government scheme to cap bus fares at £2 in England as part of its support scheme during the cost-of-living crisis. UNISON recognises this is a temporary measure and feels the incentive does not go far enough to address the challenges working people face. Conference calls on the government for more funding for […]
2022/2023 was a year of industrial dispute across the Public Sector, partly to address the indecent pay increases. UNISON Members in the Environment Agency are not immune to this – EA members took strike action over pay for the first time, which members voted overwhelmingly for in November 2022. Since 2010 salaries in the Environment […]