State pension

Conference recognises that many UNISON members, especially low paid and part-time workers, receive very low occupational pensions and many of our members chose not to join the occupational schemes at all. It is important that UNISON remembers that these members are still very reliant on the state pension for their livelihood in retirement. Conference notes […]

NHS Campaigning

The creation of the NHS in 1948 was one of the greatest achievements of the post war Labour government. The founding principles were that health care should be funded from taxation and delivered free at the point of use. Since its creation the NHS has come under attack from successive Tory governments. However, since the […]

No to Bargain Basement Terms and Conditions!

Conference notes the shocking findings in UNISON’s late 2012 survey of cuts to NJC terms and conditions: 1) 20% councils have frozen increments 2) 8% of councils have cut basic pay 3) 13% of councils have introduced unpaid leave 4) Over 60% of councils have cut weekend enhancements 5) 31% of councils have cut redundancy […]

Outsourcing and privatisation

Conference condemns moves by the coalition government to encourage greater use of outsourcing and privatisation in the delivery of public services. In doing so governments have ignored the impact of this US style approach which includes: 1) increased inequality in access and delivery of public services; 2) fragmentation of services, confusion for service users and […]

Pay

Conference condemns the prolonged public sector pay freeze that has drastically reduced the amount workers have received in recent years and now the punitive pay cap of 1% for two years from 2013. Conference also notes that many private companies and community/voluntary sector providers of public services have mirrored this freeze. On top of the […]

Calling a Halt to Poverty Pay in Local Government

Conference condemns the shameful state of pay and conditions for local government workers across the UK. Conference notes that: 1) NJC and SJC pay has the lowest bottom rate of pay and the worst conditions of all public sector groups – for both full-time and part-time workers 2) NJC and SJC pay has fallen by […]

Alternatives to austerity

Conference finds no joy in being proved right that the Coalitions austerity programme continues to cause a slump. Final UK growth is forecast by the Chancellor for minus 0.1 percent in 2012 and optimistically for 1.2% in 2013. The Quantitative Easing scheme run by Bank of England has propped up the financial firms with cheap […]

Ethical Care Campaign

Conference welcomes the launch of UNISON’s Ethical Care Campaign and the production of the ‘Time to Care’ report, which has provided a platform for often-ignored homecare workers to articulate their frustrations and anger with the UK homecare system. It has shown how a committed but poorly paid and treated workforce is doing its best to […]

Welfare Reform – Housing, Benefits and Social Work

This Conference recognises that the Con-Dem Coalition Government is intent on undermining the system of collective social security and on reducing the household incomes of those on less than average incomes. This will include many UNISON members working in local government. Conference notes that, as a share of national income, wages have fallen over the […]

Facility Time

Conference notes the Government’s deplorable attacks on trade union facility time in the public sector, fuelled by lobbying by the Tax Payers’ Alliance and other right-wing organisations. Attacks on the facility time of civil servants have become envied by Eric Pickles as he seeks to mimic and replicate them across local government. These attacks are […]

The Day of the Africa Child

The 16th June is another historic day celebrated all over Africa, this is the day of the African Child. On the 16th June 1976, thousands of Black school children took to the street of Soweto, South Africa. In a march more than half a mile long, they protested the inferior quality of their education and […]

Black Members Representation at National Black Members Conference

Conference is concerned with the current Online Conference System (OCS) and the representation at the National Black Members Conference. Black members are a disadvantage group and self-organised groups should be able to self-organise as currently stated in UNISON rules to meet and share their concerns and aspirations. To work within a flexible structure to build […]

Discrimination in the Workplace

Conference notes the benefits that Learning and Development in UNISON provides to our members. It is also noted that the assistance, advice and guidance provided by Regions and Branches is counter to and in some cases in the absence of any learning and development opportunities provided by employers. Conference recognizes that the experience of many […]

Racism Isn’t Being Tackled

Conference notes, according to research carried out by Durham, Northumbria and Teesside universities, Police forces in the North East are failing in their duty to tackle racism in the region. The report explores issues relating to the increasing black and ethnic minority populations in the region and highlights racism in both urban and rural parts […]

Regional Race Action Plans

Conference notes that each UNISON Region has its own Regional Race Action Plan. The purpose of this is to keep aspects of each region’s race issues, at the forefront of UNISON’s structures, to affect change, increase participation from members and be a beacon to attract other people to join and remain with UNISON. After making […]