Making it fair for social care

Conference recognises that, for the UNISON Community Service Group, fair funding for social care is a core issue. Many of those providing care to the elderly and the vulnerable work for charities and not-for-profit providers. Our members in Community want to see a well-resourced social care system, not one ravaged by austerity and unable to […]

Branch Structures

Conference notes that highly effective recruitment and organising in Community can be carried out by branches organised in different ways. Conference recognises that dedicated Community Branches in Cymru/Wales, West Midlands and Northern Ireland have had considerable success in improving services to members and boosting recruitment and organising. Conference further notes, that other regions like the […]

Branch Structures

Conference notes that highly effective recruitment and organising in Community can be carried out by branches organised in different ways. Conference recognises that dedicated Community Branches in Cymru/Wales, West Midlands and Northern Ireland have had considerable success in improving services to members and boosting recruitment and organising. Conference further notes, that other regions like the […]

Making it fair for social care

Conference recognises that, for the UNISON Community Service Group, fair funding for social care is a core issue. Many of those providing care to the elderly and the vulnerable work for charities and not-for-profit providers. Our members in Community want to see a well-resourced social care system, not one ravaged by austerity and unable to […]

Racism in Community workplaces

Conference believes that all forms of racism in the workplace are unacceptable. Employers in the Community Service Group have a responsibility to work with staff and trade unions to tackle racism, listening to and responding the concerns of those who are subjected to racist abuse. Conference notes that in 2019, the UNISON Community Service Group […]

Sleeping in, losing out.

Conference notes with concern the UNISON report published in June 2019 Sleeping in, losing out which presents a shocking picture of �sleep-in� conditions, with staff abused physically and verbally including being punched and threatened with knives. The report also made clear that some care staff on overnight shifts are being forced to use dirty mattresses […]

Addressing Low Pay with Progressive Pay Claims

Conference Notes: Many UNISON members in the higher education sector continue to suffer the effects of poverty wages. Whilst some progress has been made campaigning for universities to become Living Wage Employers, or at least agreeing to pay the equivalent, some are refusing to consider this very basic and reasonable demand. Many senior managers point […]

Industrial action ballot tactics for the 2020-21 pay campaign and beyond

Conference Notes: The primary role of UNISON, or any Trade Union, is to use the collective power of its members to deliver lasting and significant improvements to pay, pension rights and working conditions. The results of each annual round of pay negotiations, is a good indicator of the extent to which this Service Group is […]

Raising the profile of Black activists in Higher Education

Raising the profile of Black activists and increasing the number of Black members involved in Higher Education establishments at branch, regional and national levels within the union is critical in meeting UNISON’s recruitment and organising objectives. Conference notes that UNISON has developed a Leadership School where activists can take steps to develop their leadership skills […]

Promoting Transgender Equality in Higher Education Institutions

Conference will recall carrying the motion ‘Trans inclusion in higher education workplaces’ in 2017 welcoming trans members active participation in UNISON and accepting trans equality must be addressed in all workplaces. This motion also endorsed the recommendations of the Parliamentary Women and Equalities Committee Inquiry into Transgender Equality, which called for higher education institutions (HEIs) […]

Negotiating Reasonable Adjustments for Disabled Workers in Higher Education

Conference notes that although Higher Education institutions often pride themselves on the services they offer to disabled students, when it comes to their disabled staff it can sometimes be a different story. Many of our disabled members in Higher Education find that they struggle to access reasonable adjustments. In some cases the employer agrees to […]

Positively promoting Mental Wellbeing in the workplace

Conference has in recent years passed a number of motions relating to helping to tackle the issues around mental health conditions such as encouraging employers to sign up to “Time to change “ or become “Mindful employers”. This has helped to shape the service group’s policy on supporting individuals with existing mental health conditions as […]

Supporting peri and post menopausal workers in the workplace

The UK’s higher education support staff workforce comprises 63% women and over 40% of university support staff are aged 46 and over. The menopause is experienced by women primarily between the ages of 45 to 55, although some may experience it earlier, and it can continue for many years. Symptoms associated with the menopause include […]

Climate change and higher education

UNISON HE conference notes: 1)The Earth’s temperature has already risen by 1.1 degree above pre-industrial levels and that the amount of sheet ice lost annually from the Antarctic has increased six-fold between 1979-2017. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report last autumn warned that we only have 12 years to keep global warming to […]

Defend all Pensions

Conference notes the ongoing attack on our defined benefit (DB) pension schemes and believes that as pensions are deferred pay then any cut to our pension schemes is a direct attack on terms and conditions. Conference notes those branches that have campaigned or are still campaigning to stop any erosion to their pensions which after […]