Public Service – Public Transport?

This Conference notes that the Tory legacy of privatising local bus services in 1986 and the deregulation of rail services in 1994 has failed the travelling public of Britain miserably. This Conference calls upon the Transport Service Group Executive, in liaison with the NEC, to lobby the Government to reverse this failing Tory legislation and […]

Young Members in Energy

This Conference welcomes the young members recruitment figures for 2003 which saw 22,033 young members join UNISON. Recruitment and organising is one of UNISON’s priorities, and it is essential that UNISON involves young people at all levels of the union. In order to encourage more young members participation in Energy events, such as this conference […]

Devolved Government and Transport

Conference notes the statement by Alistair Darling, MP, the Secretary of State for Transport, which foresees the Scottish Executive, Welsh Assembly and Regional Assemblies in England taking more responsibility for transport. Conference welcomes this development which is an important step in delivering better and more integrated public transport services. Conference acknowledges, however, that this development […]

Review of Lay Structures

This Conference recognises the need to constantly review our organisation to ensure that the needs of members are met in the most effective way. As part of the current review, Conference instructs the Transport Service Group Executive to work with the National Executive Council to ensure that there is one seat on the National Executive […]

Partnership Fund

This Water and Environment Service Group Conference notes the existence of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Partnership Fund which is established to jointly improve workers lives where partnerships exist. We note that both Thames Water and United Utilities jointly with the Trade Unions have recently been successful in obtaining £50K and £45.5K respectively […]

Paying for Water Services

This conference recognises that a new basis for paying for water services should to be found to replace the existing outdated rateable value based system. Conference believes that any new system has to ensure that sufficient income is generated to maintain a properly trained and adequately resourced workforce. Conference further recognises that consumers will expect […]

Discrimination on Grounds of Sexual Orientation – Policing the New Legislation

Conference notes: i)That the long-awaited legislation protecting workers from discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation has now been in force for a number of months; ii)That some equalities policies, such as the Centrica policy, already included sexual orientation, and others have now been amended. However, Conference further notes that there is still much to be […]

Contractor Deaths on Water Sites

This Water and Environment Conference is very concerned about the decline in safety standards on sites such as those managed by United Utilities whereby three sub-contractors (including one aged 17) have died since Autumn 2003″. We call upon UNISON’s lay and paid officials on the (National) Water and Environment Service Group Executive with responsibility for […]

Partnership Fund

This Energy Service Group Conference notes the existence of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Partnership Fund which is established to jointly improve workers lives where partnerships exist. We note that both Thames Water and United Utilities jointly with the Trade Unions have recently been successful in obtaining £50K and £45.5K respectively which benefits […]

Fair Pay in the Environment Agency

This Water and Environment Service Group Conference notes that the Performance Related Pay (PRP) system operating within the Environment Agency provides an unfair pay system to many of our members employed by the Agency. This Conference is aware that the current PRP system in place is; Discriminatory Inefficient Subjective Discredits equalities and does not reflect […]

OFWAT Price Review

Conference notes the representations made by UNISON to both OFWAT and Government concerning the price review currently underway. It particularly welcomes the responses made to the various official consultative papers. Conference recognises that the new prices to be introduced in April 2005 will have a significant impact upon the employees of the water companies in […]

Black Children’s Educational Needs

Migrant Health Workers

Conference is increasingly concerned at the exploitation of migrant Health workers, which is taking place in Health Services in the UK. We recognise that the NHS has taken significant steps to address the exploitation and we welcomed the guidance, which was issued in 2003. However, during 2003 an estimated 40,000 overseas nurses applied for nursing […]

Staffing Levels

Conference deplores the cost cutting measures employed within NHS Hospital and Primary Care Trusts which have resulted in falling staff levels in wards, departments and community services throughout the Health Service. Low staffing levels result in increased ill health absences which only exacerbates the situation for those staff still at work. Moreover, staff are often […]

Childrens Trusts

Conference welcomes the introduction of greater co-operation and joint working between health and social services as demonstrated by the introduction of Children’s and Older Persons/Adults trusts. Many of our members already work in integrated service under Section 31 funding arrangements or through other joint funding regimes on a variety of secondment or other employment arrangements. […]