Youth Services and Youth Workers

Conference notes that youth and community services have suffered massive cuts every year since 2010. UNISON’s 2014 ‘Damage’ report made clear the extent and impact of these cuts: hundreds of youth centres have closed and tens of thousands of youth service places for young people have been lost. Updated UNISON research is expected to show […]

Organising in Local Government

Conference recognises the huge challenges posed to UNISON’s ability to organise and recruit in local government in recent years. We have seen billions of pounds of funding cuts, which have led to the loss of more than half a million posts, with many UNISON members losing their jobs, and many more increasingly wary of being […]

Single Status and Equality Legislation

Despite UK and EU equality legislation, there are still many women in local government paid much less than they should be compared to men. Conference believes government policy both in equality and industrial relations terms is rendering equal pay legislation less effective and undermining the role of collective bargaining in delivering equality. Conference notes with […]

TTIP and Local Government

Conference notes with great concern the implications of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) for local government and its workforce across the UK. These include: 1)The removal of so-called ‘non tariff’ barriers to trade such as environmental concerns and health and safety regulations; 2)The Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism which could leave councils […]

Crisis in Social Work

Conference notes the vital role undertaken by social workers across the UK and applauds their continued ability to carry out excellent work in their communities despite the increased amount of pressure they are facing in their jobs. Social workers are having to cope with funding cuts to their services as caseload and referral levels continue […]

Protecting Pensions in the Water Industry

This WET Conference notes that adverse changes have recently occurred to defined benefit (final salary) pension schemes in Severn Trent, Dwr Cymru, Northumbria Water and United Utilities as a minimum. The Water Industry has been a licence to make money since privatisation in 1989 when Thatcher wrote off all the debts and remains a monopolised […]

Securing Adequate Funding for Flood Defences

WET Conference 2016 will remember the devastation caused by floods in late 2015 in Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire in particular which had a devastating effect on the general public including many UNISON members both as employees and victims of the floods. Inadequate resources by this Tory Government have played a major part in flood defences […]

Ensuring the Living Wage for all in the Water Industry

WET Conference congratulates the Water Industry Sector Committee and the Executive for the work done to date in trying to ensure all within the Water Industry whether directly employed or via contract are paid the Living Wage. It cannot be right whereby two people sat side by side are paid different amounts, one the Living […]

Mental Health in WET Workplaces

This WET Conference congratulates the Environment Agency North West branch in running a pilot course backed by United Utilities branch in aiming to address mental health issues in workplaces covered by the WET service Group. Particularly in call centre environments, mental health can be a major issue caused by unrealistic timescales placed on employees including […]

Food Standards Agency – Pay, Terms and Conditions

Conference notes that our members employed by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and its contractors are constantly under the threat of being deregulated out of employment. They continue to face bullying, harassment and attacks in the workplace, as well as erosion to their pay and benefits. Conference also notes that the […]

Decision of the UNISON NJC committee to accept two

Conference deplores the decision of the National Joint Council (NJC) Committee, on 27 April 2016, on a divided vote, to accept the pay offer from the employers for local government workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (the Local Government Association – LGA). This decision is deeply flawed for a number of reasons: 1. The […]

OPPOSING PROPOSALS IN THE MAY 2016 QUEEN’S SPEECH

Conference notes that on 18th May 2016 the Government’s proposals to force maintained schools to become academies in England were announced alongside limits on local authorities’ role in school improvement and a revised national funding formula for schools. The stated aim in these proposals is for all schools to become academies with the Secretary of […]

Devolution and Combined Authorities

Conference notes the development of the devolution agenda and further notes that: 1)Local government is a devolved matter in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; 2)The Scotland Bill devolves more powers to the Scottish Parliament from April 2017, the Wales Act 2014 devolves some tax and borrowing powers to the Wales Government National Assembly for Wales […]

Local Government Finance and Protecting Members Jobs

Conference is aware that local authorities are in unprecedented financial times. Conference notes: 1)the major changes taking place in the role of local government; 2)the government has now announced that it will end contributions from the national taxpayer through the Revenue Support Grant (RSG) from 2020/21 and the reduction in revenue support grant of more […]