Review of the National Lay Membership Structure

This Conference notes the actions taken to date by the Executive regarding the review of the Energy, Transport and Water & Environment service group structures at national level. Conference notes the outcome of the consultation exercise with all three service groups and in the light of this agrees that further work is necessary subject to […]

Call Centre Sickness and Stress

This Conference believes that the Data Protection Act and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act should -provide its membership with personal protection equal to that of the Human Rights Act. We believe that the high sickness levels within call centre employees has direct links with the oppressive environment, constant supervision and targets set within this […]

Negotiating an End to Disability Discrimination

This Energy Conference applauds the work undertaken by UNISON’s National Disabled Members Committee to promote negotiated agreements that make provision for Disability Leave. However, we are concerned that there is no adequate legislative provision to compel Energy employers to disregard disability- related absence and the consequence of this in relation to sickness absence procedures. There […]

Furthering Our Equalities Work in the Business and Environment Service Groups

Conference welcomes the developing programme of work on equalities in the Business and Environment Service Groups, led at national level by the Business and Environment Equal Opportunities Working Group, in liaison with the national self-organised group committees. Conference notes the positive impact this has had on organisation of lesbian and gay members at branch, regional […]

Partnership Fund

This Energy Service Group Conference notes the existence of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Partnership Fund which is established to jointly improve workers lives where partnerships exist. We note that both Thames Water and United Utilities jointly with the Trade Unions have recently been successful in obtaining £50K and £45.5K respectively which benefits […]

Agenda for Change and Membership Representation

Agenda for Change, if accepted, will completely change the structure of the NHS, and all the historical Whitley staff group demarcations will disappear. The way that UNISON Health members are organised will need to respond to this change. UNISON should grasp the opportunity to review the way in which it can best represent its members’ […]

Fast Tracking NHS Staff back to work

Conference notes that despite a wide range of positive initiatives to recruit staff there is still a shortage of staff working in the NHS. Positive recruitment initiatives only partly meet the challenging needs of the NHS. Retention of staff is equally if not more important in maintaining service delivery and continuity of staffing skills and […]

Keep the NHS Public

This Conference is deeply disappointed that the Government won a narrow majority to establish Foundation Trusts. However it believes that the strong campaign of opposition led by UNISON at all levels of the organisation achieved significant concessions from the Government. The NHS continues to face significant attacks from the privateers both within and outside of […]

Access to Training and Education for “Non-Professional Staff”

Conference is concerned that access to training and education for “non-professional” staff is very limited or in reality non-existent in some workplaces. All staff in the NHS are important and essential to the delivery of services in the NHS. Therefore all staff should have equal access to training and education. Staff classified as “professional” are […]

Student Nurse Training – Secondment Opportunity

Conference welcomes the increased opportunities in certain areas for existing staff to undertake Nurse Training as part of a secondment opportunity. This Conference believes that by utilising the skills and experience of existing health workers all of the NHS will benefit with increased recruitment and importantly retention of Nursing Staff. This Conference however notes with […]

Recruitment and Representation of Senior Managers

This Conference is deeply concerned at the levels of membership amongst Senior Managers in Health branches. UNISON is rightly proud of being the major public sector union and in representing all grades of staff. However research shows very low levels of membership density amongst Senior Managers. We call upon the Health Group Executive to: 1.Work […]

Campaign for 35 hour week

This Conference notes that for some years we have had a policy supporting the call for a 35 hour week for all health workers, with no loss of pay. If the Agenda For Change proposals are agreed, some health workers would have their hours reduced (in some cases by stages) to 37.5 hours, but others […]

Student Nurse Recruitment Strategy

This Conference notes the impact of our student nurse recruitment strategy. This Conference also congratulates those involved in recruitment into UNISON which constantly recruits more than competitor unions. Conference notes however the competitive “market” that exists with student nurses. This Conference resolves to review the present situation with regards to student nurse recruitment and report […]

Agenda for Change – Second Ballot – Results by Country

Given the variety of pay rates and terms and conditions that have developed over the years across the different countries of the UK, Conference instructs the Service Group Executive to ensure that members voting in the second Agenda for Change ballot are identified according to the country in which they work and for the results […]

Migrant Health Workers

Conference is increasingly concerned at the exploitation of migrant Health workers, which is taking place in Health Services in the UK. We recognise that the NHS has taken significant steps to address the exploitation and we welcomed the guidance, which was issued in 2003. However, during 2003 an estimated 40,000 overseas nurses applied for nursing […]