The Fat Cats are Still Smiling

Conference is only too aware of the ongoing mismanagement of water companies’ finances. Water companies need to be more transparent with how their organisations are being financed. A number of large Water & Sewage Companies have been with the begging bowl to OFWAT, the Government’s Water Regulator, for help yet are still taking out millions […]

Supporting our Disabled Members During Sickness Absence Meetings.

Conference is only too aware that having trained reps to support and guide our members during sickness meetings is essential in obtaining a good outcome. Conference will further acknowledge that supporting our disabled members requires a further detailed knowledge of the Equality act 2010. Some managers in the water industry may be competent with day-to-day […]

Time to Shine a light on Dark Practices.

Conference notes that due to ever increasing expectations on our members more and more work is done out of normal working hours and in some cases routine inspections on wastewater treatment works is becoming the norm in hours of darkness. Of particular concern to our members are those sites with inadequate lighting, security or access […]

Care workers

Conference commends the work carried out by local government service group members working in care across the UK despite the many continued challenges and pressures that they face. Conference recognises that despite the differences in the delivery of social care throughout the UK, UNISON’s own National Care Service campaign represents a clear vision for the […]

Pay in Further Education

Despite colleges educating 1.7 million students each year, further education is all too often overlooked by the government. Research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies has clearly shown that colleges lost out more than other education sectors during the austerity decade from 2010. Despite claims funding has increased, college spending per student in 2024 will […]

Securing the Legacy and Making 2023 the Year of Black Workers

Conference notes that UNISON has declared 2023 the Year of Black Workers (YofBW2023). This conference notes that whilst 2023 is the Year of Black Workers, and its focus of ‘Establishing legacy to generate change’, this year in and of itself is not the change we seek, it is merely the opportunity to generate change. Black […]

Pay Campaigning and Beating Industrial Action Thresholds

This conference notes that: 1) This Tory government is once again seeking to make public sector workers pay for the latest economic crisis by restricting public sector pay even further when the cost of living continues to rise; 2) Prior to the latest cost of living crisis, pay across local government had fallen in real […]

Early Years Funding and Private Day Nurseries

Conference notes that in December the Department for Education (DfE) announced that funding to local authorities in England for supported early years places would increase by an average of 3.4% for three and four year olds and by 4% for two year olds. However, some local authorities will only receive less than a 1% increase […]

Trans rights and the Labour Party

Conference notes that comments made by Keir Starmer on 28 October in a Mumsnet interview regarding trans youth healthcare have caused significant concern In response to a question from a Mumsnet user about the interim report by Dr Hilary Cass on the provision of trans youth healthcare, Starmer focussed on the idea of consent, saying: […]

Equalities grow our union

Conference notes that UNISON members are under sustained and constant attack by the United Kingdom (UK) Government. From spiralling cost of living to services we rely on most disappearing, the UK Tory Government’s attacks on our members are leaving many to feel isolated and weary. There is only one way to combat these attacks – […]

Justice for Palestine

Conference welcomes the comprehensive Amnesty International report, Israel’s Apartheid against Palestinians: Cruel System of Domination and Crime against Humanity, which sets out how massive seizures of Palestinian land and property, unlawful killings, forcible transfer, drastic movement restrictions, and the denial of nationality and citizenship to Palestinians are all components of a system which amounts to […]

DEFEND DISABLED AND LESBIAN GAY BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER PLUS (LGBT+) RIGHTS WON THROUGH THE HUMAN RIGHTS ACT

Conference welcomes the United Kingdom’s (UK) Conservative government’s decision not to proceed with replacement of the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) with a Bill of Rights Bill. However, Conference is not fooled and is well aware of the Conservative’s intention either to repeal the HRA or even withdraw from the European Convention of Human Rights […]

BLACK LGBT+ ACTIVISM

Conference is concerned at the low level of Black LGBT+ activism within UNISON structures at branch, regional and national level. Recruitment and training can play a crucial role in increasing Black LGBT+ participation. Black LGBT+ members have vital contributions to make to ensuring that UNISON remains truly diverse and inclusive in all aspects of trade […]

MAKE 2024 THE YEAR OF LGBT+ WORKERS

Conference believes that one of UNISON’s strengths lies in its recognition of the value and unique experiences lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender plus (LGBT+) people bring to the workplace and to our union and commends the work of UNISON’s LGBT+ committee to raise the profile of our LGBT+ members across the United Kingdom (UK). Conference […]

Solidarity with Ghana’s LGBT+ community

Conference notes that for many years Ghana’s government has been extremely hostile to LGBT+ people. Currently same-sex sexual activity is prohibited under the Criminal Code 1960, which criminalises acts of ‘unnatural carnal knowledge’. This provision carries a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment. Only men are criminalised under this law. The law was inherited from […]