Youth Services and Mutualisation

Conference is concerned that the emphasis of delivery in the Government’s positive for youth policy lies with commissioning the community and voluntary sector and the encouragement of mutualisation. Conference is concerned that the commissioning agenda will lead to a massive detriment to terms and conditions across both voluntary and statutory youth sectors, a continuing shift […]

Cuts in Youth Services

Conference deplores the tsunami of cuts to youth services in the statutory and voluntary sectors. Across the country, councils are taking an axe to their youth services – the very youth clubs and projects cited by the prime minister as examples of excellence are being lost. The workforce is facing major redundancies and those workers […]

Challenging Racism, defending public services

Conference notes with deep concern new research by UNISON on the disproportionate impact of public services cuts on Black workers. This research, conducted as part of UNISON’s Challenging Racism in the Workplace, and piloted in Greater London late last year, showed that Black employees in Local Government were paying the price for public service cuts […]

Living Wage and Not Regional Pay

This Conference notes with concern the failure of the National Employers to offer or properly negotiate an affordable pay settlement. In reality UNISON members in local government are suffering a multi-year pay cut compounded by inflation rate and cost of living increases and the failure of the Government £250 settlement to be awarded. Local Government […]

Administration of Medicines and Medical Procedures in Schools and Other Educational Settings

Conference notes that discussions continue with governments’ across the UK, around responsibility for administration of medicines and medical procedures in educational settings. Current guidance requires schools to develop policies on administration of medicine and medical procedures to support with pupils with health conditions. Staff are expected to administer a range of treatment, from basic medicines […]

Apprenticeships

Conference welcomes news that there are still some positive developments in respect of apprentices in local government, such as the recent agreement between St Edmundsbury Borough Council and Forest Heath District Council and UNISON to work together to deliver high quality apprenticeships and help towards easing youth unemployment in West Suffolk. Conference is concerned however […]

What future for young people in local government?

Conference notes that a substantial proportion of the local government workforce is due to retire in the next 10 years, yet little is being done to encourage young people into the service. Cuts are leading to job losses and reducing the opportunities for young people to join the service. Conference believes that the attacks on […]

CHALLENGING RACISM DEFENDING PUBLIC SERVICES

Conference notes with deep concern new research by UNISON on the disproportionate impact of public service cuts on Black workers. This research, conducted as part of UNISON’s Challenging Racism in the Workplace and piloted in Greater London in November- December 2011 and results of which were analysed in January 2012 showed that Black women working […]

Police and Crime Commissioners

Conference recognises that the election of Police and Crime Commissioners in November this year will fundamentally change the landscape of policing and potentially a wide range of other justice services in the future. UNISON was opposed to the concept of Police and Crime Commissioners, because we did not believe that a single elected politician could […]

Stop Privitisation

West Midlands and Surrey Police under guidance from the Home Office have advertised £1.5 billion contracts to run Police Services in both forces. The contracts could lead to the privatisation of crime investigation, forensics, 999 call handling, custody and detention and a wide range of police support services. Most other forces in England and Wales […]

Consultation on LGPS Proposals

This Conference welcomes the completion of the lengthy negotiations on the future of the LGPS and the opportunity for members to now individually and collectively determine their view on the proposals. Conference endorses the following position agreed by the LG Service Group Executive on 31st May 2012: “This SGE shares the frustration over delays in […]

LGPS 2014 Examples

Conference notes that proposals for the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) were released on 31 May 2012. Conference further notes that the factsheet “LGPS 2014 – Examples”, published on UNISON’s website on 31 May uses different assumptions for price and earnings growth than those used in the UNISON pensions calculator publicised in protect our pensions […]

Campaigning Against Government Pay Policy

COMPOSITE B CAMPAIGNING AGAINST GOVERNMENT PAY POLICY Conference condemns the Chancellor George Osborne’s statement in December 2011 that he was to ask pay review bodies to consider how public sector pay can vary from region to region, and present him with recommendations by July 2012. Additionally he stated that ‘the Minister for the Cabinet Office […]

Welfare Reform and Universal Credit

COMPOSITE A Welfare Reform and Universal Credit This conference recognises that the ConDem government are intent on undermining the welfare state through the provisions of the Welfare Reform Act. These proposals will have a significant impact on Housing Workers and Benefit Staff in Local Government across the UK. These proposals will adversely impact on jobs, […]

Resisting Attack and Seeking Justice for School Su

COMPOSITE D Resisting Attack and Seeking Justice for School Staff This Conference condemns the Conservative-Liberal Democratic coalition government for its treatment of school support staff, the majority of this workforce female and low paid. After decades of neglect and tireless campaigning by UNISON, the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) was established in England with […]