Conference notes the disproportionate effects the cuts on public services will have on women, in particular cuts to Sure Start. Users of the services are almost exclusively women as are the staff employed. Sure Start provides vital services such as Early Years play and development, family bonding, speech and language and family support services to […]
Conference motions
‘Campaigning against water poverty’ This Conference seeks that this Service Group, guided by the Service Group Executive, resolves to actively campaign to counter and diminish the effects of water poverty. With water becoming an increasingly scarce resource, as a result of climate change and increased consumer demand, this matter of water poverty is an issue […]
Conference is concerned at the ever-increasing discrepancy between the basic state pension and the poverty threshold. In 2009 the National Pensioners’ Convention’s figures state that the poverty threshold is £165 pw whilst the basic state pension is £97.25 pw, a discrepancy of £65.75 pw. Much of the blame for this can be laid at the […]
The government has formed an independent Public Service Pensions Commission to undertake a fundamental structural review of public service pension provision by Budget 2011. We believe that the fact that private sector pensions are inadequate does not mean that public sector pensions should be. This action if taken will have a detrimental effect on Black […]
Conference notes with great concern that many local bus services, particularly those serving rural areas, face an uncertain future. A high proportion of the funding for subsidised and tendered services comes from local authorities who themselves face significant cuts in their grant income from Government. The continued viability of many community transport undertakings and the […]
2011 marks the beginning of what may become the most serious threat since 1989 to jobs and services provided by the UK’s water industry. Whether in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland the present industry structure is likely to come under attack from both regulators and governments. With a new White Paper from the Government […]
Conference deplores the Con- Dem Government’s attacks on jobs, services, pensions and pay in the public sector as their only solution to the economic crisis brought about by the irresponsibility of the banking sector. Conference condemns those banks that continue to award large bonuses to the very people whose actions have caused the economic difficulties […]
Conference is alarmed over the developments taking place in British Waterways. Despite UNISON’s opposition the Government has gone ahead with its plan to convert British Waterways into a charitable trust, bringing to a close a proud history of public ownership and management of the nations’ canals. However, Conference is pleased to note that the Scottish […]
Conference notes the devastating impact of the local government cuts on women, Black communities, disabled people and those on the lowest incomes. The lack of data on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people makes the impact on LGBT workers and communities less easy to quantify, but their impact on people’s lives is equally devastating. […]
Conference deplores the unprecedented attacks on the rights of local government workers, on our terms and conditions and indeed on our very employment. Conference notes that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) workers have been among the last to gain the protection of the law. Seeking to avoid anti-LGBT discrimination has therefore been an important […]
Conference agrees that National Joint Council (NJC) agreements enshrined in the “Green Book” form the very basis of Local Government workers terms and conditions, especially those covered in Part 2. We value our leave arrangements and believe that our sick pay arrangements protect members who are ill from having to survive in poverty. Over a […]
Conference is concerned that as a result of savage funding cuts the green agenda could be dropped or sidelined by many employers. Conference notes that many college jobs are reliant on the development of training and education provision that supports the growth of new green industries. Conference is very concerned that the Tory led Westminster […]
This Conference notes the vital job which is done by Food Standards Agency meat inspectors, inspecting every piece of meat produced in Britain. However these civil servants work in appalling conditions with UNISON 2011 survey revealing that 64% have been bullied in the last 2 years, and 40% have had time off as a consequence. […]
In February the government announced that the London Borough of Newham was one of these pilots, creating a new mutual model of delivery in children’s and young people’s early intervention services. We believe that the timing will inevitably lead to its being used as a mechanism for meeting some of the government cuts to our […]
Conference recognises the long term decline in numbers of trade union membership in the UK since 1979 from 13 million to 6.6 million members today. We note that this decline is reflected across many European and North American countries including Germany, France, Spain, Italy, USA and Canada. We also note that the average age of […]