Police and Crime Commissioners

This Conference expresses its growing concern about government privatisation policies that will affect the terms and conditions of police and justice staff acting under the responsibility of police and crime commissioners. We welcome the anti privatisation campaign that was launched at UNISON’s national delegate conference 2012 partly in response to moves by the West Midlands […]

Disability Leave and Disabled Police and Justice Staff

This Conference is concerned that public sector cuts are being used to impact on the terms and conditions of disabled police staff through abuse of sickness absence management policies and disability leave policies. An increasing number of members working PCSO’s, CSI, kennel staff, mounted staff, custody staff and others report that police authorities are arguing […]

Young member recruitment and organisation

This Conference notes the organising efforts of branches to increase membership and density, despite challenging climate of reducing staff numbers across all Police Forces, Probation Trusts and CAFCASS. Conference notes the aging demographic profile of UNISON membership makes it essential to recruit more young workers. i)Conference calls on the Police & Justice Service Group Executive […]

Changes in work place demographics

Conference believes that cuts to police budgets have disproportionately fallen on police staff. Swathes of police staff across the country have been made redundant, face redundancy or privatisation. Conference it could be argued that any progress made in the last decade in terms of equality and work life balance has been expunged by the changes […]

Work Place Consultants

Conference, Staffordshire Police like many other forces have had cost saving reviews by private sector consultancy companies at great cost to the taxpayer. The sums range from the tens of thousands to millions of pounds. These costs nationally are justified as necessary to make future financial savings. Staffordshire Police Unison have challenged a number of […]

Chief Constable/Police and Crime Commissioner – Two Tier Workforce?

Conference, in November 2012, the Police and Crime Commissioner will be elected to all police forces in England and Wales. There is much uncertainty and little guidance in relation to the handover and reallocation of staff when this process occurs. Initially, all police staff will change from being employed by the Police Authority to being […]

Winsor Review

Tom Winsor has now published both parts of his review into Police Officer and Police Staff Remuneration. Part 1 recommendations were all about cuts and changes to police staff terms and conditions to the detriment of our members. There was nothing positive offered in exchange for the cuts and changes, there was a vague mention […]

Equality Impact Assessment of LGPS 2014

Conference notes that proposals for the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) were released on 31 May 2012. UNISON’s Equality Scheme includes an action plan which includes (within the Local Government Service Group section) Ref LG 12 which states that it is our target that “All future regulatory changes proposed to the LGPS (Local Government Pension […]

Police and Crime Commissioners

On 15th November, Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC) will be elected across England and Wales and each will replace the respective Police Authority that is currently in place for their force area. PCC will have responsibility for the full budget of their respective force, including where and how the budget is spent in relation to […]

Local government pay is an equality issue

Conference notes that the myth of the well-rewarded, secure and complacent public sector worker and the reality of local government pay are worlds apart. In 2011, 8% of full-time workers and 38% of part-time workers in local government – a quarter of the workforce – earned less than the Living Wage of £7.20 an hour. […]

LOCALISM ACT – DEFENDING OUR MEMBERS TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Conference notes that the Localism Act 2011 is the flagship legislation in England for the government’s Big Society agenda, aimed at opening up public sector ‘markets’ to private and voluntary organisations and fundamentally redefining the role of local government as a provider of public services. The act purports to be a ‘radical shift of power […]

Cuts in Further Education

Conference notes with anger and concern the difficulties that Further Education has faced in the last few years and continues to face. There have been cuts across the FE Sector throughout the UK. In Scotland, there is a 30% funding cut over 3 years. There have been over 1000 job losses and many of these […]

Robust Regulation of Care Services

This Conference believes that effective regulation of health and social care services is a vital safeguard to ensure people who use services are protected, and standards of care are upheld. This is more vital than ever because we have a growing population who will rely on care services at some point in their lives, and […]

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH – THE BATTLE FOR DECENT PENSIONS FOR WOMEN

Conference notes with concern that the proposed changes to the Local government pensions scheme (LGPS) and the state retirement age are disproportionately impacting on the lives of women. Women local government workers are already statistically more likely to have lower pensions, primarily due to time taken out of the workplace and part-time working to meet […]

Living On The Edge

Conference condemns the treatment of local government workers across the four UK countries by their employers who as well as cutting jobs, are in an increasing number of places, attempting to cut hours, overtime pay, unsocial hours payments, car allowances, increments and annual leave to name a few. Conference notes that this is on top […]