We embrace the increasing number of women in leadership roles within society and we hope to see this trend continue, given that men are still disproportionately represented in senior decision making roles. However, there are sadly many examples, including our women Prime Ministers to date, of women failing to advance the equality of women when […]
Conference motions
For too long, women have been forgotten in the design process. Criado Perez�s recent book �Invisible Women� explains how men�s dominance of the design industry has had a major impact on women�s health and safety.Not only do less women than men work in the design industry, designs are generally created with men in mind, and […]
Women�s conference notesEarly miscarriage happens in the first trimester of a woman�s pregnancy.Many employers do not recognise early miscarriage under their sickness procedure.Figures gathered by the Miscarriage Association show that 250,000 women in the UK suffer from a miscarriage. This equates to 1 in 4 women.The signs of a miscarriage differ to each person but […]
Conference notes with concern the continuing pressures on council-funded social care services. Social care services and the NHS both face increasing demands and new challenges including an ageing population, lifestyle changes, public expectations and new and emerging medical and digital technologies.Conference is aware of the need to develop a long-term workforce strategy in partnership with […]
Conference notes with alarm the proportion of women forced into poverty by changes to the benefits system. Rather than providing a safety net for women when they need it, the way that the current system and in particular Universal Credit is structured causes in work poverty rather than challenging it.In August 2019, it was reported […]
Conference rejects the proposals contained in the Resolution Foundation think tank’s report of the intergenerational Commission, chaired by Lord David Willetts (nicknamed Two Brains), titled “A New Generational Contract”. Conference further rejects the myth of generational unfairness on which the report is founded, and which masks the fact that the real unfairness is based on […]
UNISON as the biggest trade union should be congratulated on achieving growth in 2018. The whole union recruitment campaign demonstrated what can be achieved when all parts of the union work together. The Northern region believes the union should commit to this type of organising approach as a regular event. A core part of our […]
Conference welcomes TUC Year of the Young Worker and congratulates all of the work being planned nationally, in regions and branches to promote recruitment of young worker’s, improve participation of young worker representatives and highlight issues especially relevant to young workers. It notes examples like those in Eastern region, where Eastern region Young Members Committee […]
Conference notes that apprenticeships are increasingly the way that young people in the UK enter local government as a profession, providing a structured way to recruit those fresh into the workforce by combining part-time education with the work they’ll be doing once the apprenticeship is completed. Conference further notes however that, while some local authorities […]
Conference notes with concern that despite previous motions and campaigns highlighting gender specific health issues faced by women in the workplace there is still very little recognition nor help and advice in the workplace for employees or employers. Whilst these health issues may not in themselves impact on productivity, lack of support and unsympathetic workplace […]
This local government conference notes that LGPS pension funds are invested to secure the best returns and to safeguard the pensions of public sector employees and pension fund members. We further note that these funds are in the majority invested in funds which add little value to local areas and local economies. This conference therefore […]
Conference notes the alarming spike in knife crime in 2018. Knife crime in London has risen by 16 percent in the past two years and over 50 people were killed by stabbings and shootings in the first 3 months of the year. Conference notes that the furore over the ‘knife crime epidemic’ served to demonise […]
Conference notes the charter sets minimum standards to protect the dignity and quality of life for care clients and the workers who care for them. Conference notes that over 40 councils across the UK have signed the charter. Conference believes the charter is a positive development for UNISON members, and is a useful tool for […]
Conference notes that the government drive to increase the quality and quantity of apprenticeships in the UK is failing. In 2017 the Apprenticeship Levy was introduced – a charge of 0.5% of the salary bill of large employers which must then be claimed back to fund apprenticeship provision – simply isn’t being used by enough […]
UNISON Wales has been highlighting the damage being done to our communities through our Fair Funding campaign and Wales audit of austerity work which has highlighted that councils have lost over 28,000 jobs since 2010. The budget given to local authorities is an investment in local services, in prevention and early intervention work which ensures […]