Ensuring Appropriate Site Signage Whilst Work is being undertaken

Whilst this Conference welcomes improvements to sites including making welfare facilities of an acceptable standard basic site Health and Safety issues shouldn’t be forgotten about during the duration of such work. It came to light on some but not all sites that were being improved in United Utilities that lighting and signage on emergency routes […]

CAMPAIGN TO DEFEND THE ROLE OF TEACHING ASSISTANTS

Conference is alarmed and appalled by the article published by the Sunday Times on 2 June (and subsequently in other media outlets) reporting that the Treasury has been holding talks with the Department for Education about phasing out the role of teaching assistants as part of budget cuts in the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review. This […]

Calling a Halt to Poverty Pay in Local Government

Conference condemns the shameful state of pay and conditions for local government workers across the UK. Conference notes that: 1) NJC and SJC pay has the lowest bottom rate of pay and the worst conditions of all public sector groups – for both full-time and part-time workers 2) NJC and SJC pay has fallen by […]

No to Bargain Basement Terms and Conditions!

Conference notes the shocking findings in UNISON’s late 2012 survey of cuts to NJC terms and conditions: 1) 20% councils have frozen increments 2) 8% of councils have cut basic pay 3) 13% of councils have introduced unpaid leave 4) Over 60% of councils have cut weekend enhancements 5) 31% of councils have cut redundancy […]

Ethical Care Campaign

Conference welcomes the launch of UNISON’s Ethical Care Campaign and the production of the ‘Time to Care’ report, which has provided a platform for often-ignored homecare workers to articulate their frustrations and anger with the UK homecare system. It has shown how a committed but poorly paid and treated workforce is doing its best to […]

Welfare Reform – Housing, Benefits and Social Work

This Conference recognises that the Con-Dem Coalition Government is intent on undermining the system of collective social security and on reducing the household incomes of those on less than average incomes. This will include many UNISON members working in local government. Conference notes that, as a share of national income, wages have fallen over the […]

Facility Time

Conference notes the Government’s deplorable attacks on trade union facility time in the public sector, fuelled by lobbying by the Tax Payers’ Alliance and other right-wing organisations. Attacks on the facility time of civil servants have become envied by Eric Pickles as he seeks to mimic and replicate them across local government. These attacks are […]

The Day of the Africa Child

The 16th June is another historic day celebrated all over Africa, this is the day of the African Child. On the 16th June 1976, thousands of Black school children took to the street of Soweto, South Africa. In a march more than half a mile long, they protested the inferior quality of their education and […]

Black Members Representation at National Black Members Conference

Conference is concerned with the current Online Conference System (OCS) and the representation at the National Black Members Conference. Black members are a disadvantage group and self-organised groups should be able to self-organise as currently stated in UNISON rules to meet and share their concerns and aspirations. To work within a flexible structure to build […]

Discrimination in the Workplace

Conference notes the benefits that Learning and Development in UNISON provides to our members. It is also noted that the assistance, advice and guidance provided by Regions and Branches is counter to and in some cases in the absence of any learning and development opportunities provided by employers. Conference recognizes that the experience of many […]

Racism Isn’t Being Tackled

Conference notes, according to research carried out by Durham, Northumbria and Teesside universities, Police forces in the North East are failing in their duty to tackle racism in the region. The report explores issues relating to the increasing black and ethnic minority populations in the region and highlights racism in both urban and rural parts […]

Out Of Many We Are One – Hope for Real Independance and LGBT Equality in Jamaica

Conference welcomes the election of Portia Simpson Miller as the first woman prime minister of Jamaica and celebrates the 50th Year of Jamaican Independence. Conference notes that Jamaica’s last prime minister had said he would not allow any homosexuals to serve in his cabinet. But Portia Simpson Miller said in a national TV debate in […]

Stop the Deportation of Overseas Students from the London Metropolitan University

Conference is appalled at the Coalition Government’s attack on international students with a move to deport more than 2,600 students currently studying at London Metropolitan University. The University’s licence to teach and recruit students from outside of the European Union was revoked on 29th August 2012, which means that these students most of which are […]

Stop cuts to the Equality and Human Rights Commission

Conference is deeply concerned about the Coalition Government’s plan to drastically cut the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) budget and staffing by 2015. Conference believes that these cuts represent an attack on equalities and amount to bringing an end to the EHRC as we know it and stripping it of most of its powers. […]

Effect of Government’s Austerity Measures on Black People

Conference deplores the devastating impact the Government’s austerity measures are having on Black communities and the most vulnerable groups in the society. Conference notes with concern the severity of this impact on people from the Black community. Research from the Institute for Public Policy and Research shows that unemployment levels for young Black people (age […]