Conference notes with concern the trend towards the centralisation of ‘white collar’ jobs in the largest of the multi-national bus companies such as Firstgroup, Stagecoach and Arriva. Conference regards these trends as predictable consequences of the companies’ growth and diversification over the last ten years or so. The creation of centralised financial services and the […]
Conference motions
This Water and Environment Service Group Conference notes that the National Consumer Council (NCC) is calling for regional charging policies, which could include compulsory metering in areas of water shortage. We call upon UNISON’s (National) Water and Environment Service Group Executive to enter into early dialogue on this issue with the NCC to discuss whether […]
This Water and Environment Service Group Conference welcomes the report of the independent work related road safety task group, which confirms TUC estimates of 1,000 deaths annually in work related deaths on the road. The issue of road risk is particularly relevant for employers like United Utilities that cover hundreds of miles North to South […]
Conference welcomes the publication of the Water Bill in February 2003 and instructs the Water and Environment Service Group Executive to take whatever action is necessary to ensure that the interests of employees are safeguarded and reflected in the primary legislation and any associated secondary legislation, codes of practice etc.
This Water and Environment Service Group Conference notes with concern that employers such as Vertex, part of United Utilities, Cap, Gemini, Ernst &Young and Thames Water are actively considering transferring work to India. Negotiators in such Branches are advised to seek assurances from their employers that this issue will not escalate and put more British […]
The Water and Environment Service Group Conference welcomes research undertaken at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, which found that some 60% of Call Centre staff have suffered a voice disorder. Call Centres throughout Britain are now estimated to account for 2% of the workforce and are very prevalent in employers such as United Utilities. UNISON […]
This Conference welcomes the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive by the UK Government and looks forward to a more democratic basis for the management of the nation’s water resources. Conference endorses UNISON’s response to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affiair’s consultation on the Water Framework Directive and particularly welcomes the support […]
Conference notes that a recent study of Water Poverty in England and Wales estimates that 19% of households are in water poverty which is defined as the need to spend 3% or more of household disposable income on water bills. There is also widespread evidence that the level of water bill debt is rising. According […]
Conference notes the introduction of P.E.C’s (Practitioners in Emergency Care). Conference also notes that: ·The present system encourages young, inexperienced graduates to become Paramedic Practitioners. This is an unsafe method of introducing additional staffing into the Ambulance Service; ·Budgetary concerns, funding and resource management issues mean that existing staff are denied the opportunity to access […]
Following the advice we received last year regarding the non-payment of enhancements when Nurses are sick due to an injury at work. It seems that Management and Staff Side have conflicting views. We insist that the SGE raise this issue with our Legal Department and the Department of Health as a matter of urgency, so […]
Conference welcomes the introduction of the National Care Standards Commission and the duty it has to raise standards across residential and nursing home care for people with learning disabilities and mental health illness. However, we have serious concerns about the way in which the Commission appears to have failed to consult with UNISON on a […]
Overseas Nurses are being let down by poorly designed and ill administered adaptation courses, particularly so in the field of mental health. The lack of national standards for adaptation programmes has resulted in many agencies offering so called adaptation programmes, which do not equip the nurse with the knowledge or skills to practice at a […]
The nursing sector welcomes the work that UNISON has done over the last 3 years to raise awareness on issues which effect-nursing students: specifically our campaign to return student nurses and midwives to salary and employment status. Whilst we recognise that entry figures are up in nurse diploma courses we believe that even more significant […]
This Conference believes that it is unacceptable for NHS staff to go to work and to be exposed to unnecessary risks of violence. Conference welcomes the Scottish Health Committee’s Zero Tolerance Campaign against NHS staff being assaulted at work. In particular Conference notes the 6 point action plan: 1.The Scottish Health Minister and NHS trade […]
The Health Group Executive notes the NEC commissioned, 2001 and 2002 Labour Research Department reports of surveys into action by employers and Unison branches on tackling institutionalised racism since the publication of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report in February 1999. Conference notes the disappointing response to the questionnaire which could indicate that racism is not […]