Conference is aware of an incident that occurred in Scottish Water in 2012 which could have had very serious consequences. A Worker was lone working and left his mobile phone in his van while accessing a building which subsequently trapped him through a faulty door. It was several hours before this worker could be rescued […]
Conference motions
Water, Environment and Transport Conference 2013 calls upon the WET Executive to devise a checklist to ensure that any PPE is compliant with the law. As a minimum, the checklist should include: • Check with employers that PPE was purchased from reputable suppliers i.e. from Companies displaying the logo of the Registered Safety Suppliers (RSS) […]
Following on from the success of the 2012 WET Health & Safety event, this Conference calls on a similar event to be staged in the spring of 2014 as Health and Safety remains one of the key areas for our members. Positive feedback was received from all attendees last time and experience gained from others […]
Recent statistics prove that workers are taking less time off sick than ever before but this can well be a false economy situation particularly for members we represent in the WET Service Group. Workplaces now face a bigger problem of presenteeism not absenteeism whereby workers are struggling into workplaces with ill health symptoms and end […]
Issues are being experienced in some Branches including Scottish Water whereby the Working Time Regulations appear to be being misinterpreted in particular when working time begins. Instances that have come to the fore include employees being required to do basic vehicle checks in their own time before commencing work. In addition, employees are being told […]
This 2013 WET Conference is aware of a serious safety incident in Severn Trent Water which resulted in a sewerage operator losing the tips of his fingers on one hand. The individual concerned was gaining access to a confined space but suffered the injury as the stay on the manhole cover collapsed. Such assets particularly […]
Whilst this Conference welcomes improvements to sites including making welfare facilities of an acceptable standard basic site Health and Safety issues shouldn’t be forgotten about during the duration of such work. It came to light on some but not all sites that were being improved in United Utilities that lighting and signage on emergency routes […]
Conference notes that there continues to be attacks on trade union facility time from the right wing media, government and such groups as the Trade Union Reform Group whose Chairman is Aiden Burley MP for Cannock Chase. The Trade Union Reform Group has been addressed by Eric Pickles MP and notes amongst its supporters Dr […]
UNISON members in Northern Ireland are on the frontline of defence of the National Health Service. The Tory-led coalition’s strategy in Great Britain to weaken the provision of good health care by extracting billions of pounds in cuts has set the template for the Northern Ireland Assembly’s response to the cut in the block grant […]
Conference believes that the Equality Delivery System is a national programme designed by the NHS Equality and Diversity Council (Now the NHS Personal, Fair and Diverse Council) to ensure NHS compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and to help reduce inequalities in health and the workplace. The Equality Delivery System aims to move responsibility for […]
Conference believes Stonewall is the largest LGB (lesbian, gay and bisexual) charity in the UK. Stonewall has been instrumental in LGB campaigns over the last two decades on issues such as section 28, civil partnerships, adoption rights for LGB parents and campaigns for workplace protection based on sexual orientation. Stonewall has good communication with all […]
Conference believes transgender people have an extra level of legal protection when it comes to data in regards to their identity. It can be a criminal offence to not secure a transgender person’s identity data that you have obtained in a professional capacity. A breach of duty in regards to transgender staff or patient’s data […]
Conference notes with concern the many negative effects of the fragmentation of the NHS in England brought about by the NHS & Social Care Act 2012. Two aspects which have had less attention than some are the impact on NHS workforce planning and on training for NHS staff. Conference believes that if the NHS is […]
Recent times have witnessed a slew of criticism being laid at the door of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the regulator for nurses and midwives. To summarise but a few of these issues: i)The organisation was roundly criticized for striking off nurse Margaret Heywood for her role in covert filming of care that exposed […]
UNISON has argued strongly over the last year that moving towards regional pay will be damaging to local economies, to NHS patients and to our members. Conference continues to oppose regional pay for the following key reasons: i)Regional pay will drive down pay in lower cost areas of the country. ii)Regional pay will lead to […]