The Crisis in Health and Social Care

Conference is alarmed that our health and social care system faces an unparalleled crisis of under-funding, staff shortages, organisational upheaval and privatisation. With the country set to celebrate 70 years of the NHS on 5 July 2018, Conference is appalled that our health service is currently embroiled in a crisis made in Westminster. Conference notes […]

Promoting the Union as an Organising Union

Conference notes that since the formation of UNISON twenty five years ago there has been significant progress in recruiting and organising new members. As a result of the work done across the whole union, UNISON is now the largest UK trade union. It is particularly pleasing, from the point of view of the future of […]

Crisis in Local Government

Local Government and local services are at crisis point. Demands and expectations of services are increasing year on year while finances are dwindling. Local authorities provide the glue that hold society together; either through lifelong education, wellbeing, transportation, refuse or social care to name but a few. Services that every person uses at some point, […]

Rule G Branch Officers

G 4.1.1 Branch Officers After “Welfare Officer” insert “, Women’s Officer (who must be a woman)”

Flexible working

Conference notes that the right to request flexible working was extended to all employees in 2014. However, the experience of reps and members within the water, environment and transport sector is that many employers are only prepared to agree to flexible working patterns for certain groups of staff, and then only on limited terms. Further, […]

Public Housing Post Grenfell

Conference notes that the Grenfell Tragedy has transformed discussion about the housing crisis. Grenfell was an avoidable tragedy created by more than 30 years of political decisions to cut, deregulate and privatise across housing and public safety which has included: 1)Cutting investment in council and social housing; 2)Privatising Council Housing stock through stock transfer and […]

Organising Young Members in the WET Service Group

This WET Conference recognises that young members are the lifeblood of our union and the future within the WET Service Group. We call on the WET SGE in conjunction with the National Young Members Forum and UNISON’s communications department to develop bespoke publicity and materials to retain existing members and recruit current non-members in all […]

Review of safety practices in the Water Industry

This 2018 WET Conference is aware of the disturbing number of accidents/incidents/near misses that continue to occur year on year in the Water Industry. One undeniable root cause is reducing staffing levels to the bare minimum as part of a risk management strategy which must continue to be opposed by UNISON. This Conference calls on […]

Lyme Disease

This Water, Environment and Transport Conference is aware of cases of Lyme disease to employees in the Water Industry and likely elsewhere to members within the Service Group. The disease is caused by bacteria transmitted to humans via the bite of an infected tick or other blood feeding insect. Most affected are likely to be […]

Sustainable Water at Work

This Conference calls upon the Water, Environment and Transport Service Group Executive to further develop the excellent “Water at Work” campaign that they launched in 2009, which sought to extend access to drinking water at work from mains supply sources. In order to keep workers healthy at work, we expect that all our employers covered […]

Angling Trust – Voluntary Bailiff Scheme

This Conference calls upon the Service Group Executive to work with the Environment Agency Sector Committee to investigate the cost / benefit of the Environment Agency funding a Voluntary Bailiff Scheme. The Environment Agency has used Rod Licence Income to fund staff at the Angling Trust to set up a volunteer system and has provided […]

Exiting the EU and Devolution

Conference welcomes UNISON’s priorities in our Exiting the EU campaign that seeks to inform and engage members and the general public on the impact of the EU exit negotiations. This strategy recognises the importance of addressing all devolved issues in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Conference recognises that exiting the EU can have a differential […]

Make 2019 the Year of Young Workers

Conference believes that the strength and sustainability of UNISON depends on the recruitment and organisation of young workers, and their development as activists and leaders. Conference notes, however, that while UNISON has had some measure of success in recruiting young workers, their numbers have remained at around 5% of the membership, and less than 2% […]

Barred and Advisory Lists

The introduction of the Barred and Advisory lists in December 2017 is yet another attack on police staff and needs to be exposed and, wherever and however possible, challenged. They add to the increasing repertoire of restrictions placed on us as employees of police forces. Further, the impact the legislation could have on those of […]

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS IN NORTHERN IRELAND

Conference applauds the historic landslide vote by the people of the Republic of Ireland to repeal the Eighth amendment to the Irish constitution and recognises the huge victory for women’s right to choose both in the South but also as a beacon of hope for all women where ever they live who are still fighting […]