Conference notes that research by UNISON recently revealed that councils in England and Wales are facing a combined funding shortfall of just under £5bn for the financial years 2022/23 and 2023/24. The funding for councils subsequently announced in the Westminster government’s 2021 spending review fell woefully short of what was needed to fill that funding […]
Conference motions
This conference congratulates those branches that have secured settlements to correct historic underpayments of holiday pay for term time only (TTO) workers. Since the publication of the NJC guidance in 2019, UNISON has secured over £55 million in settlements for term time only staff who have been underpaid. The conference commends the joint guidance to […]
Water, Environment & Transport Conference 2022 is appalled by the regular dumping of raw sewage in watercourses by Water Companies. Conference welcomes the recent fine of £90m to Southern Water for totally unnecessary pollution of beaches in the South of England and hopes this will act as a deterrent for other Water Companies to do […]
This Water, Environment & Transport Conference notes that during the spring, summer and autumn UNISON members are regularly asked to attend anti-social incidents at reservoirs in their roles as Catchment Controllers. Of particular concern are out of hours call outs to deal with drunken behaviour usually but not exclusively by youths who can be under […]
Water, Environment & Transport Conference 2022 notes that as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic some employers have introduced “hybrid working” arrangements for some of its employees. This is not to be confused with the right to apply for flexible working! Some of our members see hybrid working as a benefit as this gives the […]
This conference notes: 1) The pandemic has posed union organising new challenges, with activists learning new tools and means to engage members; 2) Engaging members working from home, particularly non-members, remains challenging; 3) Some employers used the pandemic to attack pay, terms and conditions, some using fire and rehire tactics; 4) That despite the challenges, […]
Conference recognises the climate emergency and supports the de-carbonisation ambitions of national and devolved governments. Conference notes the key role that local government will play in delivering net zero strategies, being uniquely placed to lead by example and also increase public awareness of the scale and pace of change needed to meet the climate emergency. […]
Conference recognises that young workers can make a real difference in local government branches by campaigning on the issues that affect them directly. Insecure/precarious work, zero hours contracts, training, discrimination, workplace rights, pay and conditions, mental health, and bullying and harassment are key issues experienced by young workers. Young people are more likely to be […]
Conference acknowledges the endemic nature of abuse, harassment and violence faced by women on a daily basis. The tragic murders of Sarah Everard, Bibaa Henry Nicole Smallman, Sabina Nessa and many other women in the past year have brought to the forefront the scale of violence against women and reinforced how unsafe many women feel […]
Our Women Members are our greatest asset Conference welcomes the election of Christina McAnea as the first woman General Secretary of a major trade union. Representing more than a million women working across the range of public services, UNISON with its commitment to lay democracy and proportionality and fair representation enshrined within our rule book […]
UNISON can only be the strong, vibrant, effective union it strives to be if Black women are involved and active in every part of its work. Black women are still underrepresented at branch, regional and national level even though UNISON has 1 million women in membership. This is a trend that the National Black Members […]
Conference notes that the 2020 National Women’s Conference passed policy on how women were on a “cliff edge” with respect of to the poverty trap that the need to stay within the thresholds of Universal Credit has created. The pandemic has made this situation much worse. Disabled women are faced with a perfect storm of […]
Research suggests that there may be some variations for Black women in the average age at which the menopause takes place between women of different ethnic backgrounds. Some studies suggest that symptoms may be more prevalent and more severe for Black women, although research is not yet clear on the reasons for this. Black women […]
A Voice for Women Part time Workers Information on UNISON’s website about part-time working states that, ‘Nearly half of UNISON’s members work part-time and the majority of them are women’. Conference this should give these part time women members a loud and clear directive to be included within the very structures of Unison. Not all […]
Conference notes recent advice from the Metropolitan Police force that women should “run away” if they feel unsafe in the presence of a lone police officer in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard in March 2020. Not only is this advice discriminatory towards disabled women, but it also fails to address the root […]