Equalities
REPORT 2003
At last some equality in conditions harmonisation
Last year I reported an absolute absence of any negotiations
with a focus on Equalities issues and stated my concerns that
the Council was losing interest in issues of fundamental importance
to our members. Well, it looks like we struck a nerve!
The past twelve months have finally seen movement in the harmonisation
of certain conditions (bear in mind for the past 8 years we
have been operating with different conditions which were dependant
on which authority you were previously employed by or where
your job lay before reorganisation).
We now have the same conditions for all staff in relation to
Career Breaks (or Employment Breaks as they are now called)
and, for those entering their final year's service at the age
of 64, a pre-retirement scheme which allows for a gradual easing
into retirement by shortening the working week.
Domestic Violence
It is our hope this harmonisation can be a focus in the next
twelve months which would allow all staff to be treated equally
with the extension of such initiatives as the Domestic Violence
Agreement which still only provides support and protection for
ex-District staff.
Flexible working
During the past year we were also involved in negotiating an
agreement on Flexible Working which is supposed to allow staff
the opportunity to determine their own working pattern to suit
their own circumstances. Unfortunately we could not achieve
full agreement with the talks foundering on the issue of home-working
but the Council have put in place a Policy document which you
may wish to have sight of (ask your Personnel Officer).
It is the responsibility of the Equalities Officer and the
Equalities Committee to monitor branch agreements and policies
to ensure they promote equality of provision to all staff. To
that extent I think the past 12 months have been successful.
Pensions equality
As in previous years the Pension Scheme has been an issue.
The Government have finally accepted the pension regulations
should be amended to allow access to benefits for same-gender
partners who can evidence they have been in a stable relationship
for a required period (yet to be quantified).
Regrettably, they are not interested in extending that provision
to heterosexual couples who are not married. Their argument
is that proof of long-term commitment is available to heterosexual
couples through a marriage certificate. This outdated concept
must be challenged and it is likely we will have a motion on
this at the AGM.
The Government are, however, making some inroads on equalities
issues with forthcoming legislation to address discrimination
on the grounds of age, sexual orientation and religion/belief.
Local negotiations will have to start this year and Equalities
will be at the forefront of those talks.
As in past years we have been involved in a whole range of
service conditions casework either with direct participation
or in an advisory role and this evidences the close working
relationship required to successfully represent and protect
the interests of our members.
Self Organisation
The Branch has been involved at Conferences and seminars on
a whole swathe of equalities issues last year, particularly
with UNISON's own Scottish and National Conferences for the
various Self Organised Groups.
This has been a thorny subject with continuing arguments with
Employee Relations as to whether or not Paid Leave should be
granted for those appointed as branch delegates. An example
was this year's National Women's Conference.
Since 1996 when this Branch was formally created we have sent
4 delegates to represent our women membership which currently
stands at around 6000.
This year we were told only 3 delegates would be given time
off, this from an authority which talks about the need to promote
inclusion for women and which wants to have women friendly policies.
By the time you read this I would hope the issue has been resolved
but it is a clear demonstration that much work remains to be
done in changing employers' negative attitudes to trade unions
and women activists in particular.
A major disappointment has been the failure to revive the self-organised
groups within the branch with the only viable group being our
Disabled Members. Branch Officers will continue to seek alternative
ways in which our minority groups can be best represented.
Impetus
The past twelve months have been an improvement on previous
years with tangible gains being achieved on a range of equalities
issues and I am in no doubt we now have the impetus to continue
achieving success in the forthcoming year.
In closing, I would like to thank members of the Equalities
Committee for their support in the past year and my fellow Branch
Officers who have been unstinting in their support for Equalities
but the greatest thanks go to the office staff without whom
this branch would fall apart.
Irene Stout
Equalities Officer
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