Barriers to Progression and Promotion for Black Employees

Conference is deeply concerned that Black workers experience severe disadvantage in job promotion and career progression prospects. In line with UNISON’s objective of negotiating and bargaining on behalf of members and promoting equality, Conference calls upon the National Energy Service Group Executive to work with the National Black Members’ Committee and the NEC to: 1Produce […]

Disability Discrimination in Sickness Absence, Capability and Disciplinary Procedures

This Conference believes that energy companies continue to discriminate against disabled workers despite their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act. Harsh sickness absence policies that fail to take account of disability related leave (as advised in the Code of Practice for Employment and Occupation), capability procedures that fail to recognise that performance can be affected […]

Rising Prices and Fuel Poverty

The definition of fuel poverty is generally accepted as an individual or family who spend more than 10% of their disposable income to keep warm. In 2002 when the fuel poor numbered 2m, as a developed country, we were rightly appalled. How then should we be reacting as the number rose to 4m in the […]

Gas Safety

This conference believes that public safety is being jeopardised by the gas companies’ practice of categorising gas leaks. Gas Safety Regulations state all leaks should be repaired within 12 hours. This conference is concerned that A3 gas companies have a system of categorising leaks into category “A” or category “B” leaks. A category “A” means […]

Centrica Pensions

This Conference notes with concern the policy of companies within the energy industry to close final salary pension schemes. This has moved forward with the announcement by Centrica pensions to fundamentally change their entire pension portfolio, where the protected final salary scheme is to be transferred resulting in increased contributions and reduced benefits for our […]

MOVING ON UP REPORT; BANGLADESHI, PAKISTANI AND CARIBBEAN WOMEN AT WORK

Conference notes the ‘Moving On up’ report published by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) IN March 2007 which found that Caribbean, Pakistani and Bangladeshi girls obtain better GCSE grades , including Maths and English than white British boys. Yet Caribbean, Bangladeshi and Pakistani women graduates seeking work are five times more likely to be unemployed […]

Learning Disability Nurse Training

This conference is becoming increasingly alarmed at reports from across the United Kingdom that learning disability (LD) nurse training is being discontinued or is only taking place in one regional centre. We are also concerned that this seems to be occurring with no proper discussion with the unions, Trusts, carers or service users themselves. There […]

Needlestick Injuries

Conference notes the continued threat to health & well being of health care staff caused by needlestick injuries. Some estimates put the total number of exposures in the UK to blood borne viruses (HIV, Hep C & Hep B) in healthcare settings caused by sharps injuries as high as 100,000. It also notes with alarm […]

Personal Development of Health Activists

Conference recognises the commitment given by many UNISON representatives to the implementation of Agenda for Change through their participation in the matching, job analysis, evaluation and review procedures. This is in addition to the development of job descriptions and ksf post outlines. Over the last 3 years there have been hundreds of reps that have […]

NHS STAFF WORKING FOR PRIVATE CONTRACTORS

The NHS has many staff at every level, up to and including Executive Directors and Chief Executives, who work for or have interests in private healthcare providers. This is particularly relevant in the ambulance sector. Private healthcare providers who actively compete for and win Patient Transport Services contracts in England, have been historically staffed by […]

Organising Administrative & Clerical Staff

Conference recognises that many of the attacks on the NHS over the last few years have centred on Administrative and Clerical staff. These include: – 1)Outsourcing and offshoring medical secretarial work; 2)Centralisation of payroll functions; 3)Privatisation of payroll functions; 4)The wholescale privatisation of logistics in England. As the pressure for “efficiency savings” grows, workforce plans […]

Car Parking Charges : No Charges in our NHS

Increasingly workers in the NHS face car parking charges as a ‘tax’ for working in an essential public service. We should start with the premise that parking should be free. Conference, therefore, seeks the issuing to branches of a negotiating guide and a national campaign on car parking based on the following principles (to be […]

AFC – Resourcing the Knowledge and Skills Framework

Conference welcomes the re-launch of the Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) in 2007 and recognises that this aspect of Agenda for Change had been severely compromised by financial constraints. Despite these positive developments Conference remains concerned that resources allocated for application of staff training and development including the KSF are most vulnerable in times of […]

MUFTI Allowance

Since the implementation of Agenda for change, many NHS employers have discontinued the practice of paying ‘mufti’ allowance . A Q& A issued from the Staff Council stated: Section 19, annex O “We have been asked for advice on ‘MUFTI’ allowances. There is no national provision for this within Agenda for Change. MUFTI is not […]

Devolution and the Functioning of the Service Group Executive

Conference proudly acknowledges that the activists and staff who support our health members at UK, regional and branch levels are second to none in their commitment, knowledge, skill and expertise. Conference recognises the enormous amount of work that has been done for the benefit of our members and UNISON in the face of huge challenges […]