Review of Unsocial Hours – Agenda for Change

This National Healthcare Conference instructs the National Service Group Executive that under no circumstances should a final decision be reached on proposals for unsocial hours agreement following the current review, until a full ballot of the Health membership has been held on this issue.

Introduction of a 35 Hour Week Across the NHS

Conference for many years, we have debated the 35-hour week acaross our Health Service. UNISON believes all NHS workers should have a right to work that does not damage their health and have freedom to pursue activities arranging work more effectively. Reasons for the 35-hour week are as follows: ·To achieve a work-life balance; ·To […]

Further Education Pay Strategy

This group meeting notes that attempts to re-establish effective central pay negotiations in Further Education have largely failed, as a high percentage of colleges have refused to be bound by the recent 2 year agreement. This group meeting believes that it is vital that UNISON, in negotiation with NATFHE and other relevant unions, should attempt […]

False Allegations of Sexual Harassment

Many of us have fought for years for equality in all areas. We have had some successes, including some excellent employment laws. However, as many lesbians and gay men are aware, these laws can sometimes be used against us and when they are, there is very little in the way of information and support. One […]

Social Services – Children and Adults

Conference reaffirms its commitment to improved social services for users and carers and to respond positively to new government initiatives based on real consultation when they are well thought out and properly funded. However, Conference believes that Ministers have convinced themselves that only radical change will achieve that improvement in initiatives such as Every Child […]

Organising in the Community and Voluntary Sector

Conference notes the National Development and Organisation Committee Report ‘Organising in the Voluntary Sector’, adopted in 2000. UNISON now has 44,000 members in the community and voluntary sector – a significant increase since the organising plan was adopted. Conference acknowledges that the growth of membership is as a result of recruitment and also the increasing […]

Promoting Race Equality

Conference notes that current United Kingdom legislation places a duty upon public bodies to promote race equality. It further notes that public bodies in Northern Ireland and the Greater London Authority have a similar duty in other respects too. It regrets that this wider duty has not, so far, been extended to other public bodies […]

Local Government Service Group Executive Report

This Conference receives the report of the Local Government Service Group Executive.

Local Government Pay and Workforce Strategy

Conference notes that each Government department has been asked to develop a pay and workforce strategy. In local government, the strategy developed by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Employers’ Organisation runs alongside the Children’s Workforce strategy led by Department for Education and Skills, which covers school support staff, social care, health […]

Privatisation of Probation Services in the National Offender Management Services

Conference notes with extreme concern that the creation of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) threatens to privatise many Probation Services, worsen provision to clients and drive down the terms and conditions of probation staff. This threat has been exacerbated by the undue delay in the Government agreeing to extend the two-tier workforce protections to […]

Facility Time

Conference welcomes the UNISON National project and campaign ‘A Time to Act’. This Conference is aware of certain inequities in the Police Service in the provision of time off for trade union duties and activities. Conference is aware of existing policy as enacted as a result of Motion 22 of the 2004 Conference namely ‘Union […]

Protect Our Pensions

This Conference notes that the Police Staff Service Group represents around 32,000 members. The vast majority of whom are members of the Local Government Pension Scheme. Conference is alarmed at Government Proposals to significantly weaken our pension provision. Furthermore, we are deeply concerned that as public sector workers we could be denied the right to […]

21st Century Social Work Review

Conference notes the many initiatives that have taken place and are ongoing in Scotland in relation to the development of Social Work. These include:- 1)The establishment of the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and Care Commission 2)The introduction of the 4-year Social Work degree and the “fast track” schemes for postgraduates 3)The Care in Scotland […]

Mandatory Testing for Substance Abuse

This Conference notes that mandatory testing for substance abuse has been introduced for all staff in the North Wales Police, with the intention of rolling it out to all other Police services in the future. This is an especially sensitive subject, requiring serious consultation arrangements. This Conference expresses its grave concern that such a procedure […]

Protecting Our Members From False Allegations

UNISON has fought for years for equality in all areas. We have had some successes, including some excellent employment laws. However, as many lesbian, gay and bisexual people are aware, these laws can sometimes be used against us and when they are, there is very little in the way of information and support. There are […]