This Service Group welcomes the Love Your Libraries campaign launched by UNISON in February. Library services make an essential contribution to local communities and educational achievement. However the service has suffered years of funding cuts and the threat of closures is growing. Despite the pressures, many libraries are developing innovative and imaginative ways of serving […]
Conference motions
Conference notes: The recent policy by the Government to encourage Local Authorities to be the lead in commissioning all public services (“place shaping”) in a local area. This is in the context of all the major parties approving the privatisation of public services and the ongoing economic crisis with calls from all the major parties […]
This Conference notes: The Children and Young Person’s Act 2008 and the piloting of independent ‘Social Work Practices’ to care for ‘Looked after Children’. That ‘Looked after Children’ are a very vulnerable group of young people who are cared for by the state either due to them being removed from the care of their family […]
Conference welcomes the decision by government to agree new LGPS regulations that extend pensionable service for civil partner survivors’ pensions to include pre-1988 service, so that entitlement is equal to that of married couples. Conference acknowledges that the issue of survivor benefits for civil partners has been pushed by UNISON at every opportunity, in responding […]
Conference notes with concern the increase in absence monitoring within local government. Conference believes that the management tools used have a detrimental and disproportionate affect on women employees, when employers may use such scoring systems in the process of selection for redundancy, or as an excuse for dismissal when seeking to cut staff numbers. Schemes […]
Conference notes our own NJC campaign for better services and better jobs; that public spending is coming under further attack; and local government is bearing the brunt of these attacks. The union needs to mobilise to defend our members’ jobs and to protect services vital to our communities. Conference also notes the Public Works Campaign […]
Conference notes the devastation caused by the earthquake that has struck the Caribbean Island of Haiti. Reports have revealed that over 200,000 Haitians have died, including nursing staff, volunteers and other aid workers. The Haitian government estimate that 1.5 million have been left homeless in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince and are sleeping on the streets […]
The number of Black Members attending National Delegates Conference is significantly low. Often Black Members in our branches are not aware or provided the opportunity to attend National Delegate Conference, despite UNISON having rules on proportionality and fair representation. Currently National Black Members Committee mandates 2 members to attend NDC in line with their constitution. […]
NBMC welcomes the Government’s commitment to introduce new in the Equality Bill. UNISON Black members have experienced the full effects of the recession and have felt its significant impact within the workplace especially in terms of reduction of staffing in key positions roles and services. The new bill has a few key elements that impact […]
Conference notes the rise of the far right in Europe. Conference is appalled that two BNP members have been elected as MEP’s in Britain. The economic recession is leading to a further rise in racism and in attacks on the asylum and refugee community, especially in the run up to the General Election. We must […]
It has been reported in the media (BBC London News 6.6.09) that the Metropolitan Police Service in 2008 had stopped 170,000 people which led to only 65 arrests under the Government’s stop and Search Act. This statement if true is disgraceful and needs to be placed in some sort of context. UNISON has long been […]
After the disastrous results which saw the BNP pick up two European parliament seats, there is not doubt that the feeling of the British public has been widely expressed throughout the political process during the Council and European elections. They have delivered damning verdict the Labour government’s proposals to impose a National Identification card to […]
This conference welcomes the long awaited review of the United Nations (UN) Durban World Conference Against Racism took place in Geneva from 20th to 24th April 2009. The conference news was dominated by the absence of “key” countries such as America, Canada and Australia and the “controversial” speech by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian Prime Minister […]
This conference is aware that Apprenticeship schemes are limited and would like to encourage Young Black Workers to have better access to information on apprenticeship schemes. Conference is concerned about the low numbers of young Black workers that have successfully completed Apprenticeship schemes. Conference therefore calls upon the National Black Members’ Committee to work with […]
We recognise and welcome the Single Equality Bill which will change Discrimination Legislation in important ways. We recognise the significance of the clause on positive action and measures to redress historic discrimination in the recruitment and promotion of Black and other discriminated groups. However this Bill provides an opportunity to go beyond monitoring statistics and […]