Conference applauds the work carried out by care workers across the UK throughout the Covid pandemic and beyond and recognises the work done across UNISON in supporting our members and establishing ourselves as the union for the care workforce. Conference notes that despite the increasing recognition of the need to bring change to our care […]
Conference motions
Black members are still under-represented at branch, regional and national level in local government even though they make a significant contribution to the workforce in local government. The trend that the National Black members are looking to change by working with the LGSGE and supporting initiatives to include Black workers across the service group Equality […]
This conference congratulates those branches that have secured settlements to correct historic underpayments of holiday pay for term time only (TTO) workers. Since the publication of the NJC guidance in 2019, UNISON has secured over £55 million in settlements for term time only staff who have been underpaid. The conference commends the joint guidance to […]
Conference notes that research by UNISON recently revealed that councils in England and Wales are facing a combined funding shortfall of just under £5bn for the financial years 2022/23 and 2023/24. The funding for councils subsequently announced in the Westminster government’s 2021 spending review fell woefully short of what was needed to fill that funding […]
Conference recognises the climate emergency and supports the de-carbonisation ambitions of national and devolved governments. Conference notes the key role that local government will play in delivering net zero strategies, being uniquely placed to lead by example and also increase public awareness of the scale and pace of change needed to meet the climate emergency. […]
Conference recognises that young workers can make a real difference in local government branches by campaigning on the issues that affect them directly. Insecure/precarious work, zero hours contracts, training, discrimination, workplace rights, pay and conditions, mental health, and bullying and harassment are key issues experienced by young workers. Young people are more likely to be […]
This conference notes: 1) The pandemic has posed union organising new challenges, with activists learning new tools and means to engage members; 2) Engaging members working from home, particularly non-members, remains challenging; 3) Some employers used the pandemic to attack pay, terms and conditions, some using fire and rehire tactics; 4) That despite the challenges, […]
Conference notes the £500 Recognition Payment Campaign launched by UNISON Community and Voluntary Sector Branch NI which called for all Community Sector frontline workers to be recognised for their heroic efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic, just like their counterparts working in the NHS. The campaign achieved the desired recognition for a select few frontline worker’s, […]
Conference welcomes the initiatives taken to date by the Community Service Group to advance the rights of disabled members in the workplace. Conference notes that the Covid-19 pandemic has revealed the structural inequality disabled people face but has also created the opportunity to confront discrimination and inequality in our workplaces in a way that allows […]
Conference recognises the huge efforts made right across our region to protect and safeguard our members during the Covid-19 pandemic – this mobilisation was particularly evident when as a region we collectively demanded sufficient protections for our members in the event they were off work due to any Covid-19 related absence. This was no more […]
Conference is concerned that 60% of all people who have died from COVID were disabled and nearly half a million people have had long COVID for over a year. Long COVID can be a debilitating condition impacting on carrying out daily activities including duties at work. Conference notes that our members working in the community […]
Conference notes the Tory government, has broken manifesto pledges by raising National Insurance contributions and suspending the ‘triple lock’ on pension increases. On 7th September 2021, it published ‘Build Back Better: Our plan for health and social care’ announcing an impending White Paper on the future provision of adult social care in England. Conference acknowledges […]
In 2020 the Scottish Government commissioned Derek Feely to review adult social care services in Scotland. Following on from Feely’s report the Scottish Government published plans for the introduction of a National Care Service (NCS) in autumn 2021 but widened this out to adult and children’s social work and social care, including: alcohol and drug […]
The toxic debate ignited by the United Kingdom government’s consultation on reforming the Gender Recognition Act underlined the importance of our union, including branches in the Community Service Group, supporting and representing our trans members effectively. Attacks on trans people escalated further in 2021. Groups trying to roll back the rights of trans people have […]
The pandemic has put in sharp focus the value and importance of care work, the majority of which, paid and unpaid, is still undertaken by women. However, conference notes that the value and importance of care work is not reflected in the pay and working conditions of care workers. Jobs traditionally done by women are […]