The Role of Workplace Environmental Reps in the WET Service Group Following the Comprehensive Spending Review

This 2011 WET Conference notes that as part of the coalition’s comprehensive spending review was the announcement that the carbon reduction commitment energy efficiency scheme is to become a new carbon tax on public sector organisations like the Environment Agency, British Waterways and Passenger Transport Executives and larger companies like those in the water industry. […]

Closure of Final Salary Pension Scheme

This 2011 Water, Environment and Transport Conference is concerned at the actions of Cambridge Water who have closed their final salary pension scheme to existing members as well as new entrants. We see this as a very disturbing development and call upon the Service Group Executive to try to ensure this is not the tip […]

Concessionary Fares

This WET Conference is pleased that to date there appears to be no radical plans to cease concessionary fares by the coalition. We cannot be complacent however, and as the cuts increase across the board with their tenure of office it is vital that the Executive comments on the importance of concessionary fares by producing […]

Water, Environment and Transport Health and Safety Event 2012

The 2011 WET Conference recognises the value of the inaugural service group health and safety event held in March 2010 and the impressive subjects covered in one day by all who attended. Health and safety is rightly seen as one of the most important factors by members in retaining their UNISON membership and it is […]

Service Group Specific Communications

This Water, Environment and Transport Conference 2011 is disappointed that again there has been little specific publicity of our recently formed service group by head office. Our members particularly those in the public sector continue to be at the sharp end of cuts and job losses but regularly perform over and above their normal duties. […]

Undertaking Three Monthly Joint Health and Safety Inspections in the Industries Covered by the Water, Environment and Transport Service Group

The 2011 Water, Environment and Transport Conference notes that Trade Union Accredited H&S or SHE (Safety, Environment and Health) representatives have a legal right to inspect the workplace 4 times per year. Agreeing dates can be a problem, therefore it is recommended that joint H&S inspections are agreed with management as near as practicable to […]

Undertaking Three Monthly Joint Health and Safety Inspections in the Companies Covered by the Energy Service Group

The 2011 Energy Conference notes that Trade Union Accredited H&S or SHE Representatives have a legal right to inspect the workplace 4 times per year. Agreeing dates can be a problem, therefore it is recommended that joint H&S inspections are agreed with management as near as practicable to 13, 26 and 39 weeks after European […]

WET Constitution

This Conference approves the attached constitution of the Water, Environment and Transport service group.

UNIVERSAL CREDIT: WELFARE THAT WORKS

This Conference recognises that some aspects of government’s proposals published in ‘Universal Credit’ (November 2010) to reform the state welfare system are reportedly designed to make it easier for a single assessment of need. Such a system should relieve some of the burdensome pressure of women to make duplicate applications to a number of statutory […]

A MILLION WOMEN MARCH

Conference welcomes the news that the TUC has called a national demonstration for 26 March 2011 and understands that opposition to the austerity measures is gradually building up in the UK with demonstrations having already taken place as well as lobbies of Parliament and protests nationwide following the Con Dem announcement of eighty three billion […]

THE PRICE OF MOTHERHOOD

The adverse impact of motherhood on the gender pay gap is well known. The Labour Government has postponed its proposed extension of maternity pay to fifty two weeks, claiming it is inappropriate during the recession. We know that the coalition government will make no commitment to increasing maternity pay. The CBI attacked the Labour government’s […]

SURE START

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 […]

WOMEN AND THE CUTS

This National Women’s Conference notes the attack on women that is being instituted by the ConDem Government. Their first budget showed a disproportionate effect on women which was highlighted by the Fawcett Society. We are all aware that the public sector is being made to pay the price of the excesses of the banking and […]

WELFARE REFORM AND IMPACT ON UNISON WOMEN

All political parties in the run up to the General Election had campaigns around fairness and equalities and the importance of family. As soon as the ConDem Government came into power they could not wait to introduce measures that had a disproportionate impact on women. Particularly in their sights on universal benefits such as child […]

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENTS AND WOMEN

Conference notes with concern the economic hardship public service cuts will have on women. Sixty five per cent of public sector workers are women and almost a quarter of working women are in public sector jobs. Women are also the greatest users of public services. With one in five women acting as carers for adult […]