Solidarity with Nicaragua

UNISON notes the long standing friendship between UNISON and UNE, the Nicaraguan Public Service Trade Union, and the strengthening of that relationship in recent years. It also applauds the progress made by the Sandinista government since being elected in 2007 towards social and economic justice in Nicaragua. In the present harsh climate for trade unions […]

A National Health Service means no to postcode pay

Conference notes with concern and anger the threat to health workers, their families, patients, communities and our National Health Service that has been represented by the Pay Cartel in the South West (aka the Pay Consortium). Conference further notes the ongoing threat posed by NHS Employers across the country who unilaterally or in collaboration with […]

Regional and local pay threats

Conference notes with concern the continued attempts by the Coalition government at Westminster to break up national pay bargaining in the public services with attempts to introduce local and regional pay. Conference welcomes the fact that active campaigning has deterred some of the immediate threats through the pay review body system but threats remain, not […]

Attacks on Facility Time

Conference notes that there continues to be attacks on trade union facility time from the right wing media, government and such groups as the Trade Union Reform Group whose Chairman is Aiden Burley MP for Cannock Chase. The Trade Union Reform Group has been addressed by Eric Pickles MP and notes amongst its supporters Dr […]

Alternatives to austerity

Conference finds no joy in being proved right that the Coalitions austerity programme continues to cause a slump. Final UK growth is forecast by the Chancellor for minus 0.1 percent in 2012 and optimistically for 1.2% in 2013. The Quantitative Easing scheme run by Bank of England has propped up the financial firms with cheap […]

UNISON response to the far right after Woolwich

Conference condemns the brutal murder of Lee Rigby, a serving soldier, in Woolwich on Wednesday 22nd May. Conference pays tribute to the family of Lee Rigby who have appealed for no reprisal attacks to take place in his name and pays tribute to the many people that attempted to intervene before the emergency services arrived. […]

State pension

Conference recognises that many UNISON members, especially low paid and part-time workers, receive very low occupational pensions and many of our members chose not to join the occupational schemes at all. It is important that UNISON remembers that these members are still very reliant on the state pension for their livelihood in retirement. Conference notes […]

NHS Campaigning

The creation of the NHS in 1948 was one of the greatest achievements of the post war Labour government. The founding principles were that health care should be funded from taxation and delivered free at the point of use. Since its creation the NHS has come under attack from successive Tory governments. However, since the […]

Welfare cuts

The Coalition government’s attempt to cut billions from the welfare budget will have a devastating impact on low income households across the UK in the period ahead and in so doing, create a divided society in which Victorian themes of the deserving and undeserving poor are used. Conference notes in particular that: 1) the provisions […]

Employment and trade union rights

Conference is angry at the Coalition government’s continued attacks on individual and trade union employment rights that have been stepped up this year and calls on the National Executive Council to lead a campaign to reverse policies that have laid waste to our economy, our public services and the living standards of our members since […]

NHS and social care integration

Conference condemns the failure of political leaders to grasp the nettle and implement a long-term sustainable solution to the funding deficit in social care. The numbers of people who need social care and support are continuing to rise as a result of the ageing population and medical advances which have improved life expectancy. But the […]

Outsourcing and privatisation

Conference condemns moves by the coalition government to encourage greater use of outsourcing and privatisation in the delivery of public services. In doing so governments have ignored the impact of this US style approach which includes: 1) increased inequality in access and delivery of public services; 2) fragmentation of services, confusion for service users and […]

Pay

Conference condemns the prolonged public sector pay freeze that has drastically reduced the amount workers have received in recent years and now the punitive pay cap of 1% for two years from 2013. Conference also notes that many private companies and community/voluntary sector providers of public services have mirrored this freeze. On top of the […]