UNISON City of Edinburgh
Local Government & Related Sectors Branch
AGM 2007
Motions and Rule Changes
Motions (click here for more details)
Council Budget, Cuts and Redundancies (local)
1. Equal Pay
2. Single Status - The Way Forward
3.
Competitive Tendering - Homes for Older People
Service Conditions Issues
4. Pay Claim
5. Access to Work
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- Health & Safety
6. New Council HQ
UNISON Services and Structures
7. Branch Restructuring
Policy and Campaigning
- 8. Protection of asylum seeker families
9. Dignity! Period Campaign
10. Just Solutions to Global Warming - the trade
union role
11. Trident - weapon of mass destruction
International
12. Support the Palestinians, boycott Israeli
products
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10. Motions
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Council Budget, cuts, redundancies (local action)
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1. Equal Pay
Proposed by John Stevenson (Children & Families) Irene
Stout (Services for Communities)
This meeting expresses its extreme concern at the council's approach
to Equal Pay. The Council's failure to accept their employment
practices over the past years have discriminated against groups
of workers who are predominately low-paid women has created an
environment where "no- win, no-fee" lawyers are now raising litigation
against not only the employer but also individual Branch Officers
on the basis they were supposedly aware of Equal Pay legislation
but failed to use it in the interests of their members.
The complexity of this particular employment legislation is self-evident
and we are concerned that lead activists are now being asked to
respond on an individual basis to questions raised by the "no-win,
no fee lawyers ".
We consider both the failure of the employer to respond to this
situation and the circumstances facing our lead activists to be
unacceptable and call upon the union at all levels to take whatever
action necessary to address these issues with a view to ensuring
a fair and equitable resolution which protects the interests of
all members and those who represent them.
CARRIED
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2. Single Status - The Way Forward
Proposed by Services for Communities Stewards Committee
This union branch notes
1. It is likely that the Council's final Single Status proposals
will include "winners” (members whose pay goes up), "losers” (whose
pay goes down) and many whose pay will stay the same. The current
branch policy is that no members should lose out under any proposed
Single Status agreement.
2. The impact of Single Status proposals elsewhere in Scotland
have seen some staff, often low paid, lose thousands of pounds
under the proposals. This can have a devastating effect on members
who are already struggling to manage on low incomes.
3. Once Glasgow Council revealed their Single Status package
there was a strong vote for strike action including some who were
set to benefit from the package. This threat of strike action
by council workers forced their council into making significant
concessions.
This union branch believes
1. Single Status is a key issue for the following year. It has
the potential to make or break this union branch.
2. Communication between the branch and members must be more
effective to ensure that we can fight for the best package.
3. If the council is sincere in working in partnership with the
unions then it should allow members meetings in council time.
This will maximise attendance and participation.
This union branch resolves
1. To improve direct communication with members. This includes
using all facilities available including members meetings, newsletters,
email, stewards meetings etc.
2. To ensure it is the members who should make the final decision
to accept or reject the whole Single Status package.
3. To send this motion to the Scottish Local Government Committee
of Unison and to call on the Scottish region to lead a national
campaign to pressurise the Scottish Executive to provide the full
funds required to finance the proposals and to co-ordinate branches
to win the best possible deal.
CARRIED
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3. Competitive Tendering - Homes for Older People
Proposed by Marlyn Tweedie (Health & Social Care), Ian Hood
(Health & Social Care)
This AGM notes with dismay the decision of Edinburgh Council
to competitively tender the management, maintenance and running
of care homes for older people. Organisations, individuals and
multi nationals will be able to bid and then legitimately profit
from the "business”.
This meeting believes that there is a fault line at the core
of the rationale for justifying the market principles in public
services; that is that the drive to make a profit inevitably leads
to decisions that cut back on the services provided, that pay
staff less money, that cut back on training etc.
The disastrous experiences in our hospitals, railways and schools
prove that this is not "best value” for us - the employees and
users of public services. Polls consistently show that 80% of
the public are against privatisation and that public services
and the ethos of accountability, equality and care from cradle
to grave are highly valued and worth defending.
This meeting resolves to
1. Set up and participate in a campaign which is as large and
inclusive as possible to oppose the tendering process. Every group
and individual is welcome from students to pensioners and all
in-between. This is an issue for all of us.
2. A steering group should be organised within two weeks of the
date of this meeting, involving branch officers, shop stewards
and other activists to organise the first steps in this campaign.
3. Those members directly affected should be consulted to establish
their willingness take industrial action in defence of in-house
provision.
CARRIED: NOTE: The Branch has received assurances from the
Council in writing that there is no decision to put existing homes
out to tender.
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Service Conditions Issues (ie pay and conditions)
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4. Pay Claim
Proposed by John Stevenson (Children & Families), Kevin Duguid
(Finance)
This meeting recognises the current Pay Settlement concludes
on 31st March 2008 and that talks on a future settlement will
be initiated in the coming months. We note current practice is
to agree a settlement framework which reflects the grant settlement
timeframe between the employers and the Scottish Executive, recognising
the Executive's role as the main funder of Local Government.
Given such grant arrangements have generally been put in place
to cover several years there is logic and rationale in reflecting
this arrangement in any pay settlement. Any agreement must, however,
be qualified with the recognition the disparity between public
and private sector earning levels is a growing one and any agreement
must be set on addressing this issue.
Further, there should be agreement with the employers that pay
negotiations should be reopened in the event of any agreed settlement
figure being overtaken by the average rate of earnings.
REFERRED TO BRANCH COMMITTEE FOR DECISION AND ACTION
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5. Access to Work
Proposed by David Ng Hop (Health and Social Care), John Ross
(Services for Communities)
This AGM notes that
1) There are 6.8 million disabled people of working age in the
UK - 1 in 5 of the working population.
2) Only 50% of disabled people of working age are in employment
compared to 81% of non- disabled.
3) 1 million disabled people within a job want to work.
4) The average gross hourly pay of disabled employment is 10%
less than that of non-disabled employees (£9.36 per hour compared
to £10.39 per hour).
5) Disabled people with mental health problems have the lowest
employment rates of all impairment categories, at only 20% per
cent.
6) Only 17% pf people with learning disabilities are in paid
work.
7) 3 out of 5 employers readily admit that they would not employ
someone with history of mental illness. This AGM believes that
employers should do more to open up jobs for disabled people.
Jobcentre plus and its providers should work with employers in
all key sectors to generate more employment opportunities.
This AGM believes that Access to Work has an important role in
supporting disabled people to stay in work. The proposals to remove
the Access to work Scheme will have a negative impact on disabled
people opportunities to find and remain in employment.
This AGM mandates the Branch committee to campaign against the
removal of the Access to work scheme and work with minded organisations
to lobby the Government with the aim of securing the long term
future of the Scheme.
REFERRED TO BRANCH COMMITTEE FOR DECISION AND ACTION
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Health & Safety
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6. New Council HQ
Proposed by John Stevenson (Children & Families), John Ross
(Services for Communities)
This Branch recognises that its members have varying views about
the New Council HQ and that there is a need to reflect all of
these views. This Branch is concerned about the issues being raised
by members which include:-
a) Unrealistic expectations regarding ‘hot-desks' whereby members
are unable to access desks and computers when they need tham.
b) Unrealistic storage space for paper files: Systems for storing
all records electronically are not fully in place, can be unrealiable
and do not fully address converting existing documents to electronic
form. This Branch is concerned that this could create work problems
for many members.
c) A depersonalised working environment: Many of the housekeeping
rules are experienced as overly-restrictive and many members feel
they have become a number rather than a person.
d) We note with concern the failure to address the problems highlighted
by Branch representatives following the opening of the offfice.
This Branch is concerned that aspects of the organisation of
the new building display a lack of knowledge about the content
of members' jobs and duties.
This Branch resolves to:-
1. Support the Branch Health & Safety Officers in the work they
have been doing to address the ongoing issues within Waverley
Court.
2. Closely monitor Health & Safety issues in the new building
3. Mount an urgent and widespread consultation of members to
identify, collate and act on problems identified.
REFERRED TO BRANCH COMMITTEE FOR DECISION AND ACTION
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Pensions and Superannuation
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UNISON Services and Structures
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7. Branch Restructuring
Proposed by George Lee (Health & Social Care), John Ross (Services
for Communities)
This meeting notes the ongoing process of restructuring the council
under the auspices of the Council 2007 Review which has led to
the reconfiguration of services under the control of new and reorganised
departments.
We also note this ongoing exercise will also be influenced by
the Job Evaluation / Single Status processes which are currently
the subject of consultation with the trade unions. It is recognised
the outcome of this work will require a revision to Branch structure
and rules to reflect the revised council structure.
This meeting agrees to convene a Special General Meeting at such
times as the finalised revised council structure is in place.
This meeting will consider required Rule Changes to allow a revised
branch structure to be put in place. Whilst the meeting may agree
changes in Branch Officer posts, no elections will take place
until the subsequent Branch Annual General Meeting.
It is recognised such changes will be required to ensure the
continued effectiveness of the branch. Given the exceptional circumstances,
in the event the Special General Meeting is inquorate, the matter
should be referred to the Branch Committee with a view to agreeing
a way forward with their decisions being placed before the subsequent
Branch Annual General Meeting for homologation or otherwise.
It should also be noted any decision of a Special General Meeting
in this resect will also require homologation from the Annual
General Meeting.
REFERRED TO BRANCH COMMITTEE FOR DECISION AND ACTION
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Policy and Campaigning
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8. Protection of asylum seeker families
Proposed by John Stevenson (Children & Families) John Ross
(Services for Communities)
The terms of this motion to be adopted as branch policy and adapted
and forwarded to National Delegate Conference. This Branch welcomes
the fact that its motion on Asylum Seeker Families was widely
supported at the union's Scottish and UK level and directly led
to:
- The first ever guide for members in Social Work in Scotland
on ethical practice with Asylum Seeker Families and Children.
- Joint work and funding on the briefing from the union's General
Political Fund and the British Associaltion of Social Workers
in Scotland.
- Early talks on building a Scottish Action Group to continue
to campaign for the rights of Asylum Seeker Children.
- Political lobbying to campaign for the Government to apply
the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child to Asylum Seeker
Children. However, this Branch remains deeply concerned that
the unacceptable treatment of asylum seeker families continues,
in particular the practice of removing these families from their
homes in dawn raids.
This Branch is particularly concerned about the impact of these
tactics on the children of asylum seekers, and believes that such
inhumane and degrading treatment breaches their rights under the
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and possibly domestic
legislation.
It creates distress and fear not only for those children directly
affected, but also for other refugee children who must live in
terror that it could happen to them. This Branch notes with concern
that the UK government has placed a reservation on the UN Convention
on the Rights of the Child in respect of immigration and asylum,
and believes that this further disadvantages already vulnerable
children.
Such practices continue despite the undertaking last year by
the UK Immigration Minister to establish a protocol in Scotland
for the humane treatment of these families, to be rolled out to
the rest of the UK. This would ensure:
- that asylum seekers' children would have their needs assessed;
- that each would have a lead professional appointed; and
- that immigration staff dealing with children would have enhanced
disclosure checks. This Branch regrets that these commitments
have not all so far been fulfilled.
This Branch recognises that
- there are measures that UNISON members can take to protect
the interests and safety of children and families who are asylum
seekers,
- and they should be fully supported in doing so.
It recognises that legislation designed to protect the interests
of children and their families in England and Wales, Scotland
and Northern Ireland may have a role in protecting children of
asylum seekers from abusive situations created by practices under
other legislation.
However, given that asylum and immigration is a reserved matter
Conference recognises the need to take action to press the issues
at a UK level.
Conference resolves:-
1. to lobby forcefully for the full implementation of the Home
Office's proposed protocol for ensuring that the needs of the
children of asylum seekers are assessed and taken into account
when making decisions about asylum and deportation.
2. to campaign for an end to the forcible removal of asylum families
and in particular, an end to the practice of dawn raids.
3. to campaign for an amnesty for all asylum families living
in this country for a year or more, in line with the precedent
set in 2002 by the then Home Secretary.
4. to put pressure on the UK Government to lift the reservation
on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
5. to urge branches to write to their MPs, MSPs, and AMs to raise
these matters and seek their support.
6. to instruct the NEC to build urgent links with the relevant
Children's Commissioners, UNISON members who are practitioners
in the field and relevant legal advisers to research and advise
on how best to support members to act in the best interests of
asylum seeker children.
REFERRED TO BRANCH COMMITTEE FOR DECISION AND ACTION
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9. Dignity! Period Campaign
Proposed by Kevin Duguid (Finance) Agnes Petkevicius (Children
& Families)
This Branch notes with concern:
That the political, economic and social situation in Zimbabwe
is at crisis point under the dictatorship of Robert Mugabe.
The unemployment rate is 80% and inflation is running at over
1000% with the average monthly wage, should you be fortunate enough
to have a job, being £12.
That because of the aforementioned the majority of women in Zimbabwe
have no access to sanitary products, which cost in excess of £6
per pack, and that this is a major cause of disease and infection
which can be fatal with life expectancy for a woman in Zimbabwe
currently standing at only 34 years of age.
This branch believes:
1. That women in Zimbabwe cannot fight for their rights as women
and as Zimbabwean citizens when they are stripped of their dignity.
2. That supporting women by providing them with sanitary protection
is the first step in helping them to regain that dignity.
3. That highlighting this issue may bring further pressure to
bear on the Zimbabwean Government to address this issue.
This branch resolves:
1. To support the Dignity! Period campaign being run by ACTSA
(Action for South Africa) by making a donation of £500.
2. To affiliate to ACTSA.
3. To publicise the issue amongst our membership with details
on how they can become involved and donate to the campaign.
4. To publicise the Dignity! Period rally in Trafalgar Square
on 10 March 2007.
5. To write to local MP's and MSP's to highlight the issue and
ask for their support of Early Day Motion 862.
REFERRED TO BRANCH COMMITTEE FOR DECISION AND ACTION
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10. Just Solutions to Global Warming - the trade union role
Proposed by Matthew Crighton (Associated Bodies), Stephen
McMurray (Associated Bodies)
It is becoming accepted that global warming is the major long-term
issue facing the world; that the people to suffer most, earliest,
will be in the developing world; but that it will have potentially
disastrous consequences in this country within a generation; let
alone its consequences for the natural world.
There is a burning need for socially-just solutions to global
warming which can convincingly map a practical route to virtual
elimination of greenhouse gases. Put another way, we need to develop
plans for the conversion of our economy and lifestyle.
The various approaches which have been suggested need to be scrutinized
for their effectiveness and their impact on social justice, to
determine what mechanisms should be used to effect a massive change
in the economy in order to stop burning fossil fuels.
If there is a choice between, for example, carbon taxation,
emissions trading, carbon rationing etc, we should support those
which meet our economic and social objectives as well as stop
global warming.
Therefore we need to know the costs and who pays them, the benefits
and how they will be shared. These questions affect whether any
plan can be implemented, since they both determine the potential
to win popular support; and help identify the obstacles they may
face.
This will require that planned solutions are seen to be fair
and that they can provide continuity of employment even if occupations
change. The trade union movement can and should play a central
role in clarifying these key questions. Accordingly we aim to
promote Just Solutions to Global Warming which embody the idea
of a conversion plan for the national economy.
To do this, at branch, Scottish and national level we will work
with other unions and environmental organizations to assess the
options and propose a trade union response to these problems.
Specific actions to be taken will include
1. Affiliation to umbrella climate change campaigns - Stop Climate
Chaos and Campaign against Climate Change
2. Within these organizations to propose just solutions to global
warming
3. To seek to co-operate with other trade unions nationally and
internationally on these matters
4. To organize a conference to debate and promote this approach,
jointly with other organizations as appropriate.
REFERRED TO BRANCH COMMITTEE FOR DECISION AND ACTION
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11. Trident - weapon of mass destruction
Proposed by Matthew Crighton (Associated Bodies), Stephen
McMurray (Associated Bodies)
This meeting, being firmly in favour of nuclear disarmament,
is appalled by the intention of the UK government to replace the
Trident nuclear weapon system.
It is particularly concerned that this decision goes against
the obligation under the Non-Proliferation Treaty to seek in good
faith nuclear disarmament. This can only encourage aspiring nuclear
powers to acquire nuclear weapons.
Unless the actions and the message from Britain and other nuclear
powers change, more and more nations will get nuclear weapons
and it will be only a matter of time before they are used, with
disastrous consequences for us all. We note the clear indications
that people in Scotland oppose the replacement of Trident.
Therefore
· We urge all Scottish MPs to oppose the replacement of Trident
in the Westminster Parliament.
· We urge all Scottish parties with policy which opposes Trident
(which includes the Scottish Labour Policy) to work together to
formulate a motion which expresses this view.
· We urge all Lothian MSPs to vote for such a motion.
· We applaud the idea that the Scottish Parliament should legislate
to make it a crime in Scotland to use or plan to use weapons of
mass destruction
REFERRED TO BRANCH COMMITTEE FOR DECISION AND ACTION
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International
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12. Support the Palestinians, boycott Israeli products
Proposed by Matthew Crighton (Associated Bodies), Stephen
McMurray (Associated Bodies)
This meeting notes with great distress the continuing violations
of international law by Israel, in particular the invasion of
Lebanon, the attacks on Gaza, the building of the ‘apartheid wall'
and ongoing military activities in the occupied territories.
It believes that a peaceful Middle East is impossible without
an Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories. Without such
a settlement it will be impossible to address the dangers of terrorism,
which gives UNISON members a direct interest in the resolution
of this conflict.
We agree therefore to continue to press our government to impose
maximum pressure on the governments of Israel and the USA for
withdrawal from the occupied territories.
We note that UNISON has received a request, via PSI from its
affiliates, the Palestinian Health Services Union and the Palestinian
Public Services Union, for political support and humanitarian
assistance for Palestinian Public Employees, who have not been
paid salaries for the last 8 months because of the political embargo
imposed following the election of the new Palestinian Government,
led by the Hamas Movement. This has caused enormous suffering
and hardship.
We agree to make a donation of £500 to these unions' humanitarian
assistance fund to provide essential food and medical services
to public sector workers and their families.
We call on Israel to make payment to the Palestinian Authority
of the tax income which it is due; and on the EU and the USA to
release funds earmarked for development assistance to that country.
We agree to promote the boycott of Israeli goods, and specifically
of Eden Springs, an Israeli company which includes in its operations
the extraction of water in the Golan Heights, Syrian territory
illegally occupied by Israel. We will write to the City of Edinburgh
Council, and all other employers where the branch has members,
to urge them to cancel any contracts which they have with Eden
Springs; and to support the boycott of Israeli goods.
We urge all branch members to observe this boycott and will publicise
it in the branch magazine and website.
We agree to affiliate to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
REFERRED TO BRANCH COMMITTEE FOR DECISION AND ACTION
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Policy Motions
In line with practice since the inauguration of the branch, motions
have been prioritised under the following headings. In addition,
they are prioritised on whether they are urgent, instruct the
branch to act on an issue within its remit, and need a branch
meeting decision.
Where there is no clear priority, they are in the order in which
they were received.
- Council Budget, cuts, redundancies (local action)
- Service Conditions Issues (ie pay and conditions)
- Health & Safety m Pensions and Superannuation
- UNISON Services and Structure
- Policy and Campaigning
- Economic Policy m International
- Miscellaneous
Any motions not dealt with will be remitted to the Branch
Committee.
COMPOSITES * Movers of motions marked thus are asked to
try to merge them into composites to simplify business.
EMERGENCY MOTIONS Must be urgent, unable to be submitted
within the timescales and relevant. They require a two-thirds
majority to be heard. Because of developments in Single Status
and Equal Pay, negotiators may wish to submit emergencies on these.
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