Reasonable adjustments and young workers

Conference notes the important work done by the National Disabled Members Committee in developing and promoting the 2019 ‘Let’s be reasonable’ report which showed the difficulties faced by many disabled workers in securing reasonable adjustments in the workplace. Conference also welcomes the wide range of bargaining guidance, information and resources available to UNISON representatives wanting […]

Inappropriate application of ‘Do not Resuscitate’ Notices – Never Again

Conference notes that UNISON has campaigned vigorously on behalf of disabled people. Disabled people across the UK have a right to equal access to health care just like anyone else. Yet the potentially unlawful use of ‘Do not Resuscitate’ notices for fit and healthy people during the COVID-19 pandemic was discriminatory and put lives in […]

Education Cuts in Northern Ireland

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 […]

Hybrid and remote working for LGBT+ workers in Energy

Conference notes that since the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a marked shift towards home or hybrid working in the Energy 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 […]

Work-life balance, mental health and the Right to Disconnect

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 Energy employers. Conference believes greater flexibility should be welcomed where this works for staff – for example, some disabled workers may find more home working is a useful […]

Hybrid and remote working for LGBT+ workers in WET

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 […]

LGBT+ workers in field-based roles

Conference notes that there is a lack of diversity among field-based operational roles within Energy. This is a real cause for concern as it hinders the creation of an inclusive and welcoming work environment in Energy. Field-based operational roles within Energy are mostly roles that involve lone working, for example monitoring and checking of equipment […]

The Importance of Women Health and Safety Representatives

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 Energy sector. However, the gender balance of Health and Safety representatives in […]

LGBT+ workers in field-based roles

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 […]

Work-life balance, mental health and the Right to Disconnect

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 […]

The Importance of Women Health and Safety Representatives

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 […]

Securing the legacy of the year of disabled workers in WET workplaces

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 […]

Mental Health Awareness Training

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 […]

Effects of Long Covid in Energy workplaces

Conference notes that Long Covid is a condition characterised by long term consequences persisting or appearing following a typical convalescence period after having Covid and has affected too many of our members in the Energy service group. From the start of the pandemic, members within the energy group were impacted as we continued to work […]

Men and mental health in the Energy sector

Conference notes that suicide is the biggest cause of death for men under 50 in the UK. In 2020, 75% of those who took their own lives were male. 4,880 men and boys died by suicide, that equates to 12 deaths every day of the year. But it is important to remember that mental health […]