Conference notes the continuing interest in co-ops and mutuals from central and local government. The Localism Act effectively gives council employees in England the right to require a service be privatised, and the government the power to fund them to do so. Both the Mutuals Taskforce and Mutuals Information Service are supporting mutuals ‘spun out’ […]
Conference motions
Conference notes that currently the process and systems to protect older people throughout the United Kingdom are only based on guidance. Conference believes adult protection should have the same status as child protection. Every year nearly half a million older people in the UK are suffering some form of physical, psychological, financial and/or sexual abuse. […]
Conference condemns the decision of the coalition government to change the indexation of pensions from the Retail Price Index (RPI) to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from April 2011. Conference believes that this change in indexation from RPI to CPI together with the rising cost of living will result is a significant increase in pensioner […]
Rule I 10.2 Delete “nominate” and add “elect” and after “Panel”, “in line with the Union’s elections procedures.”
Conference opposes workfare which is simply a charter for unscrupulous employers to exploit workers and maximise profits, forcing people to take up unpaid work under the threat of losing their Job Seeker’s Allowance. Conference condemns the scandalous workfare stories coming to light – such as that of a young woman forced to give up voluntary […]
Conference welcomes news that there are still some positive developments in respect of apprentices in local government, such as the recent agreement between St Edmundsbury Borough Council and Forest Heath District Council and UNISON to work together to deliver high quality apprenticeships and help towards easing youth unemployment in West Suffolk. Conference is concerned however […]
Conference notes that a substantial proportion of the local government workforce is due to retire in the next 10 years, yet little is being done to encourage young people into the service. Cuts are leading to job losses and reducing the opportunities for young people to join the service. Conference believes that the attacks on […]
Conference notes that on 29 November 2011 George Osborne announced a further government attack on public service workers by announcing the intention to cap public sector pay rises to just 1% for two years – after the current pay freeze ends. This at a time when the whole economy annual increases for the quarter ending […]
Rule D 3.7.3 After “shall be” insert “directly or”
Conference notes that on 3 January 2012, Stephen Lawrence and his parents finally received some justice, when Gary Dobson and David Norris were found guilty of his racist murder. Stephen Lawrence born on 13 September 1974, murdered by 5 white youths on 22 April 1993 just because he was Black – young and gifted. For […]
Black members are on the brink of economic meltdown from the coalition governments’ cuts, scapegoating and hypocrisy. The cuts to public services have directly affected Black members and the most vulnerable in our society, creating anger and a real sense of injustice. Conference is deeply concerned that despite over 40 years of anti-racism legislation, Black […]
Conference notes that the public and private sectors are in the midst of the most sustained attacks on our members on the services we provide under the guise of efficiencies. Conference notes the January 2012 launch meeting of the Trade Union Reform Group whose stated aim is that public bodies should not pay for time […]
Conference reaffirms its complete opposition to the Government’s Health and Social Care Bill. Conference believes that the Bill is the biggest threat to the English NHS in its 64 year history. Despite minor changes made by the so-called “listening exercise”, the fundamental dangers of privatisation, fragmentation, instability and inequity remain. The Bill will turn the […]
UNISON Health conference expresses serious concern about employers’ attempts to dilute skill mix and staffing levels as part of cost-cutting within the NHS and the impact which this can have on patient safety. We note a huge amount of variability in workforce planning, together with scientific evidence demonstrating the value of appropriate skill mixes to […]
Conference notes the acute challenges our members face in the current climate of radical structural reforms (in England), budgetary constraints and efficiency savings targets, all of which are taking a serious toll on the NHS workforce. Employers under pressure to reduce costs are looking at every conceivable way to save money. Increasing numbers are tampering […]