National Housing Forum

This National Service Group Conference notes that the Government’s policies on housing are serving to intensify the acute housing shortage in all parts of the country as well as leading to housing costs which are unaffordable to huge numbers of people. This is leading to major housing and social problems with a particular impact on […]

Schools Funding

This Conference notes: 1)The proposal included in the Comprehensive Spending Review to create a single national funding formula for schools in England; 2)That this could cut funding for schools in cities and metropolitan areas in particular by as much as 20%; 3)Support staff, who make up 1 in 3 of workers organised within the local […]

Negotiating Equality in Local Government in a Climate of Ever Harsher Cuts

Conference is concerned that hard won equality gains in local government are at risk as local government bears the brunt of the harshest public sector budget cuts to date. Conference notes that local government used to be an equality trail-blazer in terms and conditions for staff and also in the quality, accessibility and inclusivity of […]

Dress Codes in Local Government

Conference notes that many employers covered by our local government service group have dress codes for some groups of workers. Many of these date back to a time when there was little overlap between what was considered male and female clothing and have not been re-examined since. Conference acknowledges that dress codes and uniforms can […]

Rule D Conference quorom and procedure

Amend Rule D 1.10.4 In the second sentence after “A Regional Council,” insert the words: “the Private Contractors National Forum,” In the third sentence after “A Regional Council” insert the words: “the Private Contractors National Forum,”

Public Service Workers under Pressure

Conference notes that as a consequence of the unprecedented job cuts introduced by the Conservative government, the workload pressure being faced by many people working in public services is reaching a critical level. The effects on the well-being of our members, as working life becomes ever more stressful, and on the quality and sustainability of […]

Rule D Service Group Conference

Add new rule D 3.4.9 “D 3.4.9 The Private Contractors National Forum may submit up to two motions and amendments to the Group’s National Conference.” Renumber current rules D 3.4.9-3.4.11 to D 3.4.10-3.4.12.

Rule D Service Group Conference

Add new rule D 3.4.6.6 “D 3.4.6.6 Two representatives (being members of branches in the relevant service group) of the Private Contractors National Forum at national level.” Renumber current rules D 3.4.6.6 and D 3.4.6.7 to D 3.4.6.7. and D 3.4.6.8

Public Service Campaigning – Stop Outsourcing and Protect Members

Conference believes that keeping existing public services in – house should be the default position for all public services on the grounds that public services offer better quality, accountability, efficiency and social value to citizens, workers and tax payers. Any new forms of non public service delivery should not be considered until: 1)An in-house service […]

Women and the State Pension

Conference notes that the new single tier pension due to be introduced in April 2016 will fail to alleviate pensioner poverty not least because it is discriminatory against women. It is generally impossible for women to accrue the same level of occupational and state pension as men because of low pay, part-time working, time off […]

Rule D Rule D 4 Private Contractors National Forum

Add new rule D 4 “D 4 Private Contractors National Forum 4.1 A Private Contractors National Forum shall be established consisting of up to two representatives from each of the Private Contractors National Company Forums. .2 The Private Contractors National Forum may, subject to the Union’s rules, send up to two delegates and two motions […]

Trade Union Bill

Conference believes that the Trade Union Bill represents the biggest assault on working people’s rights in living memory, and an unashamed and deliberate attack on public sector trade unions in particular. The Bill affects almost every aspect of trade unionism in England, Wales and Scotland. It shifts the balance of power in workplaces further to […]

Opposing DFID’S Privatisation Agenda

Conference is concerned that the UK government’s Department for International Development (DFID) is aggressively promoting the private sector as an alternative provider of public services globally. Traditionally privatisation, driven by the international finance institutions, has been promoted in infrastructure projects, particularly water, sanitation and energy, often with terrible consequences, but increasingly DFID is promoting a […]

Fairer Taxation and the Future Funding of our Public Services

Conference is dismayed that nearly six years on from his promise to “fix” the economy and only one month after the 2015 Autumn Statement – in which he said that the government’s job is no longer to “rescue Britain”, but to “rebuild Britain” – George Osborne has again returned to the economic politics of austerity […]

Strengthening Our Union: Supporting and Developing Our Stewards

Whilst UNISON can claim that we have an activist’s base of 50,000, all valuable roles and essential for creating a strong organised union, Conference notes that we have lost a significant number of experienced activists particularly our traditional steward’s as a consequence of the austerity agenda and the relentless privatisation of public services since 2010. […]