Solidarity with Palestine

Conference hopes that a lasting ceasefire between the Israeli Government and Palestinian Organisations can be established, but recognises that this will not happen or be sufficient unless the illegal siege and occupation are ended. UNISON welcomes Palestinian attempts to establish a unity government and urges the UK Government and the EU to support and encourage […]

Devolution: seizing the opportunities, avoiding the threats

Conference notes that issues around the scale of governance have come to the fore in political debate in recent months. Questions that have become more prominent in the political discussion include: 1)The relationship between the UK and Europe; 2)The relationship between the nations of the UK; 3)The relationship between central and local government. Conference notes […]

The decision to cancel strike action for 14 October 2014

This Special Conference believes the decision of the NJC Committee on 9th October to suspend the action planned for 14th October was a grave error which completely undermined the national campaign to secure a decent pay rise for Local Government members and an end to five years of real terms cuts in our member’s living […]

Future Pay Consultation

Conference notes that UNISON quite rightly has led the campaign against the Government’s public sector pay restraint policy. Local Government Conference in June 2014 agreed a pay strategy at the core of which was engagement of our membership in determining our pay strategy. The Northern Region recognises the impact of the Government’s pay policy and […]

The decision to cancel Strike Action on 14 October 2014

Conference believes that the decision taken by the National Joint Council (NJC) Committee on 9 October, to call off strike action due to have taken place on 14 October was a grave error of judgment. In particular, Conference criticises; 1)The decision to characterise the “revised” proposals as “the best that can be achieved by negotiation” […]

Future Pay Consultation Protocols

This Conference believes that the decision taken by the National Joint Council (NJC) Committee on 9th October 2014 was a complete denial of the intention and basis of the Local Government pay consultation protocol which sets out the need for extensive consultation with members. Conference further believes that; 1)that in future, decisions to suspend previously […]

The 2014-2016 NJC (National Joint Council) Pay Proposals

This Conference endorses the 2014/15 NJC pay claim for a flat rate increase sufficient to raise scale point 5 to the Living Wage outside London. Conference deplores the fact that the 2014-2016 NJC pay proposals fall so very far short of achieving the 2014/15 claim. The 2.2% increase on most spine points perpetuates declining living […]

Decision To Cancel Strike Action On 14th October

This Special Conference believes the decision of the NJC Committee on 9th October to suspend the action planned for 14th October was a grave error which completely undermined the national campaign to secure a decent pay rise for Local Government members and an end to five years of real terms cuts in our member’s living […]

Electronic Methods of Consultation

This conference notes that: 1)encouraging members to vote in union consultations is vital, both so that we can reflect the wishes of our membership and so that we can demonstrate strength of feeling amongst the membership to the employers; 2)low turnout in union consultations is a problem which we should try to combat as much […]

Aftermath of the National Joint Council (NJC) 2014 Pay Campaign

This conference notes: 1)The profoundly disappointing outcome of the 2014 NJC pay dispute, which effectively resulted in another real terms pay cut for the vast majority of members across local government and left tens of thousands of the lowest paid on hourly rates still below the current Living Wage. 2)The employers’ proposal that was the […]

The threat of EU trade agreements to public services

Conference notes that the European Union (EU) and the United States have started negotiations on a new trade agreement, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). Conference also notes that EU and Canada have finalised negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and that the EU is also negotiating the Trade in Services […]

Stand up to anti immigrant racism in the NHS

Conference notes that since the current government came to power in 2010, public services have been subject to savage cuts. Consequently, despite growing demands on the health service because of an aging population, there has been a significant cut in staffing levels. Since the Mid-Staffordshire report on safe staffing levels, the health service has begun […]

UNISON’s Political Campaign After the 2015 General

Conference notes that the Conservative Party’s success at the General and local elections on May 7th carries with it significant threats to public services, our members’ jobs and standard of living and growing levels of inequality. As such Conference calls upon the National Executive Council to develop and put in place a comprehensive political campaign […]

Pensions

The Westminster government announced in its last Budget that it planned to allow all those who have been contributing to Defined Contribution (DC) pension arrangements, the option of being able to take their whole pot of money as a cash sum from 6 April 2015. Up to then contributors could take a maximum of 25% […]

DECENT WAGE RISE FOR STUDENTS

Conference calls on the Health Service Group Executive to take the lead in a campaign calling for a decent wage for healthcare students during their training. Conference recognises that healthcare students are required to work 37.5 hr on a rotational shift rota whilst on placement and actively participate in patient care often holding their own […]