Raising the profile of LGBT workplace equality in WET

Conference welcomes the strong track record of our water, environment and transport (WET) service group on equality issues. Amongst other successes, this has resulted in a diversity of activists on our national WET service group bodies, reflecting UNISON’s rules on fair representation and proportionality. Conference acknowledges the importance of such role models and the contribution […]

LGBT rights and collective agreements

Conference is concerned that collective bargaining and pay determination agreements have been under sustained Tory-led attacks. They have sought to destroy the very agreements that prevent them and their business friends from imposing poverty pay with no holiday or sick leave entitlements. Threats of regional pay bargaining are just the tip of the iceberg. Local […]

Tackling Biphobia in the WET Industries

Conference welcomes the progress we have made in putting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality on the bargaining agenda in the water, environment and transport (WET) industries. However, conference notes that LGBT workers are a diverse group, who experience different types of discrimination in different ways. There is increasing understanding that issues facing transgender […]

Is VS in the water industry the answer?

The present system of outperformance as practiced by most of the water companies in the UK industry is unsustainable and dangerous to both those working in the industry and the general public. To make more money for our owners the companies keep reducing the workforce either by redundancies, restructures or by leaving vacancies unfilled and […]

Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre Glasgow Trade Union Recognition

Conference notes that this year’s event is in the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) Glasgow. SECC UNISON members continue to be disappointed over SECC management and Glasgow City Council’s refusal to grant trade union recognition. Over the last year, SECC management have continued their anti-trade union stance and doggedly refuse to positively engage with […]

TTIP and the Water Industry

Although most water companies in the UK are already foreign owned this is not the case of Scottish Water and Dwr Cymru (Welsh Water). As such they have been protected from predatory takeovers. The Transatlantic Trade Treaty (TTIP) whilst being potentially dangerous to many sectors has declared a definite interest in opening up the European […]

Rule D Service Group Conference

Rule D 3.4.6.2 delete “ Deputy General Secretaries”

Rule C Annual membership audit, the appointment & removal of the Assurer

Insert new rule C 8: “C 8 THE UNION’S ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP AUDIT 8.1 The Union’s membership system shall be audited each year by an Assurer. 8.2 The Assurer will be a qualified professional body of either financial auditors or membership scrutineers. 8.3 The Assurer will be appointed by the National Executive Council who thereafter shall […]

Changes to the Constitution of the WET Service Group

Conference notes the revised version of the Water, Environment and Transport Service Group Constitution which has been circulated in the papers distributed to delegates. Conference notes that the proposed revisions to the WET constitution have been overseen by the WET Executive and in particular by a sub-group of the WET Executive which was open to […]

Rule D The right to attend and speak

Rule D 1.7.2 delete “ Deputy General Secretaries”

Rule E Deputy General Secretary

Delete E4, E4.1, E4.2 and E 4.3

Rule G Branch Officers

Rule G 4.1.1 Insert “Retired Members’ Secretary,” between “Young Members’ officer,” and “Welfare Officer “.

Rule G The Branch Committee

Insert new Rule G 2.1.3: “G 2.1.3 Such representatives of the retired members’ section within the branch as the branch may determine;” Renumber subsequent rules.

Campaigning for our public services and those that provide them

Conference notes the decisive role that UNISON must continue to play in campaigning for effective public services that embody the values of a good society – care and compassion, dignity and respect, fairness and equal treatment, accountability and the public good. Conference further notes that the context in which we must campaign is characterised by […]

Protecting Bus Services

Conference notes the excellent work carried out by the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) in highlighting the widespread cuts to local bus services which have taken place in recent years – in particular their report, “Buses in Crisis: A report on bus funding across England and Wales 2010 – 2015”. Conference notes that the report […]