Conference is dismayed that nearly six years on from his promise to “fix” the economy and only one month after the 2015 Autumn Statement – in which he said that the government’s job is no longer to “rescue Britain”, but to “rebuild Britain” – George Osborne has again returned to the economic politics of austerity […]
Conference motions
Whilst UNISON can claim that we have an activist’s base of 50,000, all valuable roles and essential for creating a strong organised union, Conference notes that we have lost a significant number of experienced activists particularly our traditional steward’s as a consequence of the austerity agenda and the relentless privatisation of public services since 2010. […]
Conference notes that in a fair and democratic society workers have a fundamental right to form or join an independent trade union. These rights are enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Labour Organisation convention, and the European Convention on Human Rights. Conference notes that facility time for trade union representatives has […]
Conference notes research by the House of Commons Library in January 2016, which showed that 2010-2020 will be the worst decade for pay growth in almost a century and the third worst since the 1860s. Conference considers this a damning indictment of successive Coalition and Conservative government policies on public sector pay, social security and […]
Conference notes that when public services are under pressure from cuts and re-organisations that pressures increase on both staff and service users. Add those things to the Westminster government’s austerity agenda and we have a recipe for disaster. Employee’s health, safety and well being in the workplace are bearing the brunt of a nation ready […]
Conference notes that as a consequence of the unprecedented job cuts introduced by the Conservative government, the workload pressure being faced by many people working in public services is reaching a critical level. The effects on the well-being of our members, as working life becomes ever more stressful, and on the quality and sustainability of […]
Conference believes that the Trade Union Bill represents the biggest assault on working people’s rights in living memory, and an unashamed and deliberate attack on public sector trade unions in particular. The Bill affects almost every aspect of trade unionism in England, Wales and Scotland. It shifts the balance of power in workplaces further to […]
Conference notes with great concern the high number of our young members experiencing bullying and harassment within workplaces. In a recent survey conducted by the Scottish Young Members Committee it was found that 75% of our young members had experienced bullying and harassment of some variety. 7% of the 75% had experienced violence in the […]
The government’s Immigration Bill is a draconian piece of legislation designed to criminalise and stigmatise immigrants and undocumented people. It is part of a wider, ongoing government attempt to appear tough on immigration to an increasingly sceptical public. While millions of people were moved after seeing the washed up body of three year old Aylan […]
Conference believes: 1)The changes within the Labour Party since the leadership election in 2015 indicate a welcome move towards UNISON’s long-held view that the Energy Industry should be brought back into public ownership; 2)There is now a golden opportunity to provide support and information to help consolidate this view within the labour movement; 3)The research […]
This WET Conference notes that adverse changes have recently occurred to defined benefit (final salary) pension schemes in Severn Trent, Dwr Cymru, Northumbria Water and United Utilities as a minimum. The Water Industry has been a licence to make money since privatisation in 1989 when Thatcher wrote off all the debts and remains a monopolised […]
WET Conference congratulates the Water Industry Sector Committee and the Executive for the work done to date in trying to ensure all within the Water Industry whether directly employed or via contract are paid the Living Wage. It cannot be right whereby two people sat side by side are paid different amounts, one the Living […]
This WET Conference congratulates the Environment Agency North West branch in running a pilot course backed by United Utilities branch in aiming to address mental health issues in workplaces covered by the WET service Group. Particularly in call centre environments, mental health can be a major issue caused by unrealistic timescales placed on employees including […]
Conference believes that the Trade Union Bill is best understood as a political attack on trade unionism. All unions will be affected by restrictions on their ability to undertake industrial action and political campaign activity, and will be subject to greater scrutiny by the Certification Officer. Public sector trade unionism will be especially hard hit […]