Crisis in Social Work

This Conference notes that despite the existence of reform programmes for social work within each of the four UK countries, the crisis affecting social work staff continues to deepen. Conference notes the deep-seated problems of: 1)Excessive workloads, stress and long working hours 2)Unsafe working conditions and exposure to violence 3)Public and media hostility 4)Escalating need […]

Universal Credit

Conference recognises the threat to thousands of local authority workers’ jobs who currently administer Housing Benefit due to the Westmister Government’s decision to replace in and out of work benefits and Housing Benefits with a ‘Universal Credit’. UNISON will need to respond robustly to defend members jobs and to retain a locally accessible provision for […]

Tri- Borough Merger (Shared Services)

This Conference deplores the recent announcement of the tri-borough merger of Hammersmith and Fulham, Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea we are now seeing the brutal attacks to our terms and conditions, job’s and pensions. Over the next three years the tri-borough proposal are suggesting that there will be a saving of 35 million a year […]

Women Apprentices

Conference notes the report “Apprentices and Gender” produced by the TUC and YWCA in October 2010. Conference is concerned that the report finds that “although the problems of occupational segregation, gender stereotyping, poor careers advice, low pay and lack of progression for women in the apprenticeships system is well documented and well understood, little progress […]

The Public Sector Equality Duty

Conference notes that the Equality Act 2010 harmonised former equality legislation – the Sex Discrimination Act, the Disability Discrimination Act and the Race Relations (amendment) Act and related legislation. Although the 2010 Act failed to meet the aspirations of many interested parties, including UNISON, there are significant benefits for employees and public sector services. However, […]

Closure of Final Salary Pension Scheme

This 2011 Water, Environment and Transport Conference is concerned at the actions of Cambridge Water who have closed their final salary pension scheme to existing members as well as new entrants. We see this as a very disturbing development and call upon the Service Group Executive to try to ensure this is not the tip […]

Concessionary Fares

This WET Conference is pleased that to date there appears to be no radical plans to cease concessionary fares by the coalition. We cannot be complacent however, and as the cuts increase across the board with their tenure of office it is vital that the Executive comments on the importance of concessionary fares by producing […]

Undertaking Three Monthly Joint Health and Safety Inspections in the Industries Covered by the Water, Environment and Transport Service Group

The 2011 Water, Environment and Transport Conference notes that Trade Union Accredited H&S or SHE (Safety, Environment and Health) representatives have a legal right to inspect the workplace 4 times per year. Agreeing dates can be a problem, therefore it is recommended that joint H&S inspections are agreed with management as near as practicable to […]

Water, Environment and Transport Health and Safety Event 2012

The 2011 WET Conference recognises the value of the inaugural service group health and safety event held in March 2010 and the impressive subjects covered in one day by all who attended. Health and safety is rightly seen as one of the most important factors by members in retaining their UNISON membership and it is […]

Service Group Specific Communications

This Water, Environment and Transport Conference 2011 is disappointed that again there has been little specific publicity of our recently formed service group by head office. Our members particularly those in the public sector continue to be at the sharp end of cuts and job losses but regularly perform over and above their normal duties. […]

National Express

This Water, Environment and Transport Conference deplores the continuing anti-union behaviour of management at UK based National Express Group’s North American yellow school bus subsidiaries. We note that National Express Group has declined to introduce a freedom of information policy in order to protect the human rights of their employees by being able to join […]

Private Drains and Sewers

This WET Conference is aware that private drains and sewers will soon be “insourced” to the water industry probably by the end of 2011. While the extra work is obviously welcomed as a source to retain existing staffing levels, it is imperative that as well as the work the existing employees who do the work […]

Facility Time in the Environment Agency

This Water, Environment and Transport Conference notes that the Environment Agency is likely to suffer job losses as a result of funding cuts by the coalition via DEFRA. As part of the job losses it is obvious that some of our activists will also be victims of the cuts as will the membership density levels […]

The Role of Workplace Environmental Reps in the WET Service Group Following the Comprehensive Spending Review

This 2011 WET Conference notes that as part of the coalition’s comprehensive spending review was the announcement that the carbon reduction commitment energy efficiency scheme is to become a new carbon tax on public sector organisations like the Environment Agency, British Waterways and Passenger Transport Executives and larger companies like those in the water industry. […]

WET Constitution

This Conference approves the attached constitution of the Water, Environment and Transport service group.