Death of the Racial Equality Movement

This conference notes the 50th anniversary of the 1965 Race Relations Act in 2015 and the 40th anniversary of the 1976 Race Relations Act next year. Conference notes that the 1976 Act was instrumental to the development of racial equality for Black communities and Black trade unionists in that in addition to the definitions of […]

Violence at work

This conference notes that there is widespread under reporting of violence in the workplace and believes that in many social care workplaces it is wrongly accepted as part of the job. Commissioners are cutting funding, and placing service users with high needs in homes designed for those with lower needs. This particularly affects services provided […]

Funding of Social Care in Community

The social care sector plays a vital role in Community. Not only are there over 320,000 workers employed in social care within the charity sector, but many more are employed by housing associations. Therefore the crisis in social care funding has a particularly far reaching and negative impact on members within Community. This substantial reduction […]

Sick Pay

This conference notes the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) findings that for the fifth year running, over 30% of employers have reported an increase in staff going into work whilst unwell. UNISON’s Community members’ survey found that 85% of members had gone into work ill in the last two years. This conference welcomes […]

Preserve our terms and conditions

Conference, we are experiencing many attacks to our funding in the housing association sector with the 1% cut to rents and the right to buy. Where are housing associations going to make the cuts to balance their books? We know from our experience elsewhere it will be the usual response by employers to cut terms […]

Good Care Costs

Disabled members of the community service group are particularly concerned that in August 2015 five of the biggest care providers wrote to the Chancellor stating that the National Living Wage could result in a “catastrophic collapse” in the number of care homes. UNISON believes that the living wage (set by the independent Living Wage Foundation) […]

Living Wage

Conference notes the success of Living Wage Campaigns across the UK in exposing low pay in the community sector and putting poverty pay on the political and bargaining agenda. Conference also notes the success of UNISON legal service in forcing community sector employers to comply with National Minimum Wage rules on sleepovers, travel time and […]

Violence at Work

This Conference notes the sterling work done by UNISON Scotland in: • surveying violence at work over a twelve year period • campaigning for Zero Tolerance of all workplace assaults; and, • securing the Emergency Workers (Scotland) act 2005 which gives key public sector workers added legal protection Conference notes that this detailed recording of […]

Low pay in the community sector

Conference notes with concern that cuts to local authority budgets are impacting on the salaries of our members in the community sector. This is particularly a problem in the care sector, where the majority of employees are low paid women. There is evidence that, in some cases, the terms offered by commissioners are so low […]

Fair treatment for workers in the community and voluntary sector

Conference notes with concern the growth of poor working practices in the community and voluntary sector. Increasingly the sector is providing support for those who the statutory agencies are unable to help, or where there is no government/local authority priority or duty to provide care. However, cuts in funding – both from government sources and […]

Women, the refugee crisis and trafficking

Conference notes that Refugees from Syria’s civil war, which is in its fifth year, has killed around 250,000 people, forced 3.98 million to flee the country, and internally displaced around 7.6 million people. The prospect of a better life in Europe has driven many to make the treacherous journey across the Mediterranean. Thousands have died […]

It needs to stop

Conference welcomes the motions passed on domestic violence and abuse at both women’s and National Delegate conferences 2015 and believe they give the union a great platform to campaign and fight for women’s rights. Conference is aware that this work is ongoing for the union and the national women’s committee, and calls upon the national […]

Rights of Working Age Disabled Women

Conference believes all disabled women should be supported and enabled to get or maintain gainful employment and career progression. There are numerous layers that impact upon disabled women when attempting to get or maintain gainful employment. These include: • Caring responsibilities (children and older relatives); • Accessible support to manage their disability(ies); • Financial constraints […]

Removal of Housing Benefit for Young Women

Conference believes that it is a human right for everyone to have access to a safe, secure and affordable home. Conference also believes that this Tory Government live in some alternative idyllic world where all young people live with their parents until they move onto university, before getting a job and moving into their own […]

Pro women pro choice

Conference welcomes UNISON’s policy on the ‘Right to Chose’. Pregnant women have the right to obtain treatment and advice in confidence free from harassment and intimidation. Conference is concerned about the increase in groups such as “Abort 67” in recent years that target abortion clinics with the intention to harass and intimidate women, who are […]