Conference notes that the decision to end the system of support for local Council Tax payers has: 1)Resulted in chaos, with different households in identical circumstances receiving different levels of support simply because of where they live 2)Resulted in inefficiency with increased costs of collection, higher bad debt provision and the prospect of more people […]
Conference motions
Local Government Conference 2013 LGPS Full Voting Rights for Union Nominated Representatives Conference through the ongoing governance negotiations we must ensure that we achieve full membership and voting rights for Unison nominated LGPS representatives to local Pension Panel boards. The 1989 Local Government Housing Act, section 13, gives union representative full membership participation. With 4,600,000 […]
This Conference reaffirms its belief that effective regulation of health and social care services is essential given the ongoing attacks on the NHS and the continuing cuts to social care budgets. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) which provides this vital service is being asked to expand its regulatory role significantly whilst simultaneously undergoing a period […]
Conference notes that the Education and Training Standards Committee (ETS) of the National Youth Agency is consulting on the establishment of an Institute for Youth Work (IYW) for England. This includes the possibility of potential later extension to include the whole UK. The IYW is to be open to employees and volunteers working with young […]
Conference deplores the continuing cuts to youth services in the statutory and voluntary sectors. Much of the infrastructure is disappearing fast with 100% cuts to services being common. The workforce is facing major redundancies and those workers who survive the onslaught are facing attacks on their pay and conditions. Conference therefore congratulates those branches who […]
This Conference condemns the action of the Association of Colleges (AoC) in withdrawing from the national Joint Agreement on Guidelines on Sick Leave in Further Education Colleges, which was agreed in 2000. The action was taken in the face of strong opposition by the trade union side and against a background of falling sickness absence […]
Further education colleges walk a tightrope of financial uncertainty, policy upheaval and erratic management. Even in the years when funding increased, it was no guarantee against cuts and redundancies in the sector. Since the coalition government came to power, education funding across the UK has been reduced at the fastest rate for fifty years. Next […]
Conference reiterates our condemnation, expressed by this Conference in 2012 of the Conservative-led coalition for the widespread and unprecedented destruction of council services that has resulted from the savage and unprecedented reductions in central government grants to local authorities and fire authorities and to the devolved nations. Local government workers have borne the brunt of […]
With more of our companies imposing pay rises on our members, UU introducing spot rates and Scottish Water trying to get rises that are 100% performance based, it is obvious we are in for a rough ride in the not so distant future. Because we are higher paid than other groups in UNISON and the […]
In these times of high energy costs water companies are embarking on initiatives to save money. This includes turning off sections of plant at times of the day when energy costs are highest. Because this at present tends to be for short periods after normal working hours the focus may be concentrated on how much […]
Having had a tanker driver repeatedly exposed to high levels of hydrogen sulphide whilst tankering sludge off at sewage treatment works, this has served to remind us of the risks posed to our members from dangerous gases. This member had his HGV and all other driving licences taken away by the DVLA as a result […]
Conference notes with concern the actions of the Labour controlled council of Newport City in maintaining the previous Tory/Lib-Dem council’s arrangement for contracting with a range of private sector consultants to conduct service reviews across most services. This initiative is part of Newport city Council’s stated corporate efficiency programme, and is supposedly designed to deliver […]
Conference notes that Meat Hygiene Inspectors and Official Veterinarians carry out a vital public service- protecting consumers from poor quality meat. Conference recognises the direction of travel within the European Union (EU) is to move toward privatisation of the meat inspection industry; and to adopt a ‘risk based approach’. Conference believes privatisation of meat inspection, […]
This Conference is aware of an incident that took place on a water meter chamber in Slovakia which ultimately resulted in 1 of 2 water meter readers suffering brain damage which will likely prevent him from working ever again. Whilst most of the water industry in Great Britain follows the correct procedures in regards to […]
Conference is aware of an incident that occurred in Scottish Water in 2012 which could have had very serious consequences. A Worker was lone working and left his mobile phone in his van while accessing a building which subsequently trapped him through a faulty door. It was several hours before this worker could be rescued […]