Youth and Community Workers and Outsourcing

Conference is very concerned about the effects of the recession on young people and their high unemployment rate. The mental health of young people suffered greatly in the 1980s recession. According to UNICEF, children and young people growing up in the UK suffer greater deprivation, worse relationships with their parents and are exposed to more […]

YOUNG BLACK WORKERS REPRESENTATION IN UNISON AND THE APPRENTICESHIP SCHEMES

It is well known that young people are the future of this organisation and with that in mind we need a targeted advertising campaign to recruit more young Black members into UNISON, working directly with NUS Black Student campaign, UNISON young members and other Black orientated youth organisations. This conference is also aware that Apprenticeship […]

Defending and Reforming the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

Conference is alarmed by the ongoing attacks on the LGPS from politicians, local councils, the Taxpayers’ Alliance, the CBI, the Institute of Directors and others. Conference also notes with concern the government’s ‘cap and share’ proposals for cost-sharing within the LGPS. Conference welcomes the response by UNISON and the LGPS Trade Union Side and the […]

Housing

Conference congratulates members in Barnet UNISON on their successful campaign to protect the jobs of sheltered wardens and welcomes the decision of Slough and Hillingdon councils to bring their ALMOs back in house. Conference is alarmed at the emergence of proposals for stock transfer in Northern Ireland, the proposals by some councils with ALMOs to […]

Green Jobs, Green Services, Green Workplace Reps

Conference is alarmed at the 15,000 local government redundancies across the UK in the 15 months to February this year and deplores the negative consequences for the individuals affected and local economies dependent on their spending power. Conference notes that in an otherwise austere pre-Budget report, an additional £150 million was announced for the ‘Warm […]

Regulatory Authorities in Social Work

This Conference recognises the importance of ensuring that social work and related practice is of a high standard, and that regulatory authorities have a role to play in this process. The regulatory system must be one that has the confidence of the workers who are subject to its regulation, and must therefore to be seen […]

Total Place

This Conference notes the increase in local public services integration and ‘joined up’ service delivery within the UK nations. While we support initiatives that genuinely enhance the quality of local services and provide them in a more integrated and efficient way, we believe that initiatives such as ‘Total Place’ should be under local democratic control […]

Two-Tier Workforce

This Conference notes that large-scale privatisation is growing as a response to political ideology and finance pressures. This affects individual UNISON members in the Local Government Service Group and also affects our ability to organise collectively and effectively. TUPE and the “Two-Tier Code” were designed to provide legal protection for transferred and new employees, although […]

Service Group Structures Review

This Conference approves the report of the Local Government Service Group Executive on the Review of the Local Government Service Group structure.

Medical Procedures in Schools, Colleges and Nurseries

Conference notes that education has become more inclusive with increasing numbers of children and young people attending mainstream schools, colleges and nurseries and extended school services. UNISON supports inclusive education but believes, for the safety and well being of children and staff, this must be adequately resourced, planned and supported. Conference further notes that UNISON […]

HAITI

Conference recognises the devastating effect that the earthquake has had on the governance and infrastructure of Haiti. However, Conference is particularly concerned that within hours of the disaster overseas adoptions were being fast tracked. Whilst Conference wishes that young women and girls who have lost family and friends in Haiti are given the opportunity for […]

Love Your Libraries

This Service Group welcomes the Love Your Libraries campaign launched by UNISON in February. Library services make an essential contribution to local communities and educational achievement. However the service has suffered years of funding cuts and the threat of closures is growing. Despite the pressures, many libraries are developing innovative and imaginative ways of serving […]

“Easy Council” No Frills Public Services?

Conference notes: The recent policy by the Government to encourage Local Authorities to be the lead in commissioning all public services (“place shaping”) in a local area. This is in the context of all the major parties approving the privatisation of public services and the ongoing economic crisis with calls from all the major parties […]

Pension Rights for Civil Partners

Conference welcomes the decision by government to agree new LGPS regulations that extend pensionable service for civil partner survivors’ pensions to include pre-1988 service, so that entitlement is equal to that of married couples. Conference acknowledges that the issue of survivor benefits for civil partners has been pushed by UNISON at every opportunity, in responding […]

Private Social Work Practice Pilots

This Conference notes: The Children and Young Person’s Act 2008 and the piloting of independent ‘Social Work Practices’ to care for ‘Looked after Children’. That ‘Looked after Children’ are a very vulnerable group of young people who are cared for by the state either due to them being removed from the care of their family […]