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ECONOMIC POLICY TAXATION & PUBLIC SERVICES
Progressive tax system to tackle poverty

Motions 1-3 address the union's economic policy and public expenditure.

In what is likely to be the last conference before the next general election, motion 1 from the NEC sets out comprehensive demands in public spending, rebuilding aspects of the Welfare State in tackling poverty. All this paid for by a progressive taxation system.

The section on public spending could be strengthened by motion 3 from Salford. The section on equality would benefit from more explicit reference to the range of disadvantaged groups listed in Scottish Region motion 31.
Support l & 3, 31

Motions 4-11 Scottish Priority 5 EUROPE
Water under the bridge

The group of motions 4-11 develops UNISON policy on Economic & Monetary Union. Motion 4 from the NEC suffers from the ambiguity inherent in current union policy, while 5-8 are explicitly opposed to monetary union which would not be in the interests of public services, UNISON members or their families.

Motions 9-11 criticise UNISON's stance at last year's TUC when the delegation abstained in the debate. (The delegates from Scotland pushed for a policy reflected in 4-8). This issue may be water under the bridge.
Support 4-8

Motions 12-15 Scottish Priority 12 PUBLIC SERVICES
Edinburgh's redistributive tax system improves composite

Motions 12-15 addresses the need for a higher profile campaign to secure increased investment in public services, given the current budget surplus. Motions 12-13 will form the basis of a composite and may benefit from Edinburgh's (15) reference to a redistributive taxation system as a means of funding investment.

Support 12-15

Motions 16-25 PRIVATISATION
Avoid action blank cheque

Motions 16-25 are remarkably similar and one would almost believe that they came from the same political grouping! They add nothing to the existing policy as developed by motions 12-15 but would provide a blank cheque for industrial action.
Oppose 16-25

Motions 28-30 UTILITIES

The section on the agenda addressing Utilities (gas, water and electricity) is unfortunately thin. The motions however add little to UNISON's campaigning activities with other unions and user groups through PURGE, the umbrella organisation campaigning for greater regulation
Oppose 28-30

Motion 31 Scottish Priority 2 SOCIAL POLICY
Seeking real social inclusion

The section of the agenda covering social policy is dominated by three key themes.

Scotland motion (31) seeks real social inclusion for the range of disadvantaged groups and may well be composited with motion 1 which it complements.

Motions 34 and 35 address the needs of the elderly in long term care and periods of hospitalisation. Motions 37-39 oppose large-scale transfers of local authority housing stock, but fail to address the issue of housing associations.

These motions will be pre-empted by the debate at the local government group meeting on the Monday of conference. They may well be amended following UNISON's housing conference on 10 April. It is advisable to wait and see the final agenda and if any of these are prioritised for debate.
Support 31, 34, 35

Motion 43 PENSIONS
Simple social justice
Pensions normally attract more attention than the four motions on the agenda. However the demand in motion 43 for a return of NUM pension fund surpluses to beneficiaries and communities is simple social justice.
Support 43

Motion 48 Scottish Priority 4 PAY
Gather support in wider movement

The national minimum wage, low pay and poverty attract the largest clutch of motions.

44, 49 and 59 from Salford, the NEC and Southern Region may form the basis of a composite which might include 48 Dundee and 53.

These provide a banner demand of £5 in line with current policy, annual uprating, extension to exclude age groups, greater enforcement measures and a campaign under the TUC, which 60 says should be carried into one of the areas worst affected.

This course of action will gather support of the wider union movement which the others in this section, with their direct action demand, will struggle to secure.
Support 44, 48, 49, 53, 59, 60

Motions 65, 67 HEALTH

The section of the agenda addressing the National Health Service is rather sparse; perhaps it anticipated the Chancellor's Budget Generosity!

There are some dangerous hidden demands, eg the consequences of scrapping all PFI schemes now called for in motion 65. Health should have a priority on the conference agenda and this may focus on 67 strengthened by amendment.
Support 67
Oppose 65

Motion 70 EDUCATION & TRAINING

Northern Ireland's motion 70 seeks a government backed training scheme to train and retrain public sector workers facing the consequences of reorganisation.
Support 70

Motion 77 Scottish Priority 6, 82 Priority 7 EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS
Don't set heads in sand

The progress made by this government in redressing the balance of rights in employment law is not insignificant. It is a start but requires much more.

A series of motions from branches, regions and self-organised groups set-out a comprehensive agenda of reform to assist part time workers, parents, black workers, the disabled and the general workforce.

The debate on "partnership" can mean different things in different industries where UNISON organises. It is not all roses, jam and cream. The NEC's motion 82 sets a trade union agenda in accessing some of the resources available to promote partnership.

The opposition proposed in 84 is isolated, while motion 83 in stating the clear "should nots" of any partnership working, would also set its head in the sand.

The campaign on behalf of the Wintercomfort workers may not secure a place in the first round of priorities but could well pop-up in the reprioritised round on Friday. (89-92)
Support 72, 73, 74, 76-78, 82, 87
Oppose 83, 84

Motion 96 Scottish Priority 8 HEALTH & SAFETY
The Health & Safety debate may well focus on the safer needles/needlestick injuries campaign which started in health but is relevant to other sections, particularly in local government
Support 96

Motions 99, 104, 105 BARGAINING AGENDA
Harnessing information technology and securing and redirecting UNISON resources for local bargaining agenda, including action against domestic abuse, are addressed in this section, particularly 104 Scotland.
Support 99, 104, 105

ASYLUM & IMMIGRATION
The emotive issues surrounding Asylum & Immigration have been clearly and constructively debated at previous conferences. The East Midlands motion 106 will probably be debated but the vanguard policies of 108/109 are unrealistic.
Support 106
Oppose 108, 109

Motion 112 RACISM
Motion 112 wants to see the lessons of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry applied, and applied to UNISON to eradicate institutionalised racism. Support 112

Motion 115 Scottish Priority 11
Equal opportunities and civil rights

A diverse agenda seeking to address disadvantage and discrimination is described in motion 114 NEC. The disgraceful "debate" on the repeal of Section 28 is taken up by Edinburgh (115) and others.

That disabled people represent themselves rather than be represented on bodies like the Disability Rights Commission is picked up in 121.
Support 114, 115, 121

Motions 128, 129 CIVIL RIGHTS
Attacks on people because of their race or sexuality at home and abroad and the dangers of the rise of the extreme right are condemned in motions 128 and 129.
Support 128, 129

Motions 133, 136 ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

The South East Region (136) believes that conference should be made aware of the lack of investment in public transport in their area. Perhaps there is not enough space for the number of trains on their rail network. There is plenty of space and room for investment north of Watford Junction.

Energy efficiency and aid poverty have been taken up by UNISON Scotland in conjunction with the industry and consumer campaign groups through a series of seminars to be reported to the Scottish Parliament; and are taken up in the NEC's motion 133
Support 133

Motion 139 Constitutional Reform

The NEC's 139 acknowledges the Parliament and Assemblies and seeks to promote the debate on regional government. It is welcome but requires modification to address the relationship between regional bodies, local government and the dangers of quangos. The reference to UNISON's policy making process could be stronger in terms of the latitude required in addressing the powers of the Scottish Parliament.
Support 139

Motion 155 Scottish Priority 9, Motion 158 Scottish Priority 10 INTERNATIONAL - Palestine - Yugoslavia - Cyprus

UNISON's good work on the international front is never adequately reflected in debates at National Conference. This year a number of motions could be debated and would reflect an agenda discussed in Scotland:

Core Labour standards in trade agreements, a tax on currency speculation (robin Tax), a Global Education Action Plan, Palestine, Yugoslavia. A number of the others (e.g., 160 Cyprus) would require a degree of tuning to reflect the interests and advice of UNISON's sister union.
Support 143, 152, 155, 157, 158

Motion 164 INDUSTRIAL ACTION
Hillingdon, but not by Hillingdon
Conference would not be Conference without someone raising Hillingdon - but why is it not Hillingdon Branch?
Oppose 164

Motions 168-170, 173/4/6, RECRUITMENT & ORGANISATION
The development of a culture of organisation and recruitment, particularly amongst young workers is required urgently.
Support 168-170, 173/4/6
Oppose 178-188

Motion 190 Scottish Priority 3 LAY STRUCTURES
Set firm markers for lay control

Edinburgh's 190 addresses lay control of strategic planning in UNISON, particularly our communications. It sets out important markers as debated at Scottish Council.

However, motion 189 contains the dangers of a federal union and does not acknowledge the considerable work being done by the NEC and regions and service groups to define a new accommodation.
Support 190
Oppose 189

Motion 193 SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT
Don't you wish Souter had used the UMR?
Conference without a debate on the UMR?
The NEC's 193 will be amended to include a report of recent progress in setting up a Joint Working Party of NEC, Regions and Branches
Support 193

Motions 207-210 BRANCH FUNDING
Motions 207-210 would seek to set out new parameters for a joint review set up by last year's Conference. It should be allowed time to complete its work and report to Conference 2001 for debate. There will be an interim report to Conference 2000.

RULES

We must get disciplinary rules sorted out
It is now essential we get our disciplinary procedures sorted out. Scottish Council supports the NEC's motion 18 as the best way forward.

Changes like this narrowly failed to get the two-thirds majority last year. This year's Conference must decide a system which brings a means of solution nearer to the problem.
Support 18.
Oppose 19, 20, 21, 22

Rule amendment (1)
... devises the need for an interpretation of rules.
Oppose 1.

Rule amendment (2)
.... reopens the democracy debate from 1998.
Oppose 2

Rule amendments 5-8
.... either fail to understand current provisions (5) allow shared delegates for single-delegate Branches or (in 6-8) would set up a never ending debate.
Oppose 5 - 8