Conference preview

UNISON Scotland Delegates to National Delegate Conference, Convener Lilian Macer and Depute Convener Stephen Smellie, preview the main debates at National Delegate Conference.

Lilian Macer and Stephen Smellie were elected at the Scottish Council of branches as Scotland's delegates to Conference.

Delegates should use them as a source of information and they fulfil a key organisational role.

They can help you liaise with other branches and regions throughout the week. They will know how debates are being organised, who to speak to and, more importantly, how to get to speak.

They will advise on Scottish policy and will speak for Scotland in debates.
Here, they preview the main debates at National Delegate Conference

Branches, regions, self organised groups, retired and young members and the National Executive Council, have submitted 128 motions, 32 Amendments to Rule and associated amendments to the conference agenda.

Re-prioritising

The experience of recent years is that conference will manage to discuss between 30/35 or so of these motions, many of which will find themselves in composites agreed by the bodies submitting the original motions.

Therefore if your favourite is not discussed below, it is unlikely to be debated first time around and the only alternative will be in the re-prioritisation exercise. This will take place on Wednesday evening/ Thursday morning, for Friday afternoon business.

Priorities

The Standing Orders Committee (SOC) has balloted regions, the NEC, self organised groups, National Young Members' Forum and the National Retired Members' Committee on what motions should be prioritised for debate at the National Delegate Conference.

The following Scottish motions are likely to be prioritised on the agenda for conference:

The Scottish Council meeting in April agreed Scotland's priorities. In this briefing we look at the motions likely to be prioritised with some comments on the issues.

Recruiting and Organising - Motions 1 to 13

Motions in this section of the agenda will focus on the union's organising strategy ensuring it is fit to cope with the onslaught of savage cuts on our current and future members. These include motions and amendments from 1 through to 13 and are supportable from a UNISON Scotland perspective.

Motion 1 highlights the shocking statistic that the Tory-led coalition policies left unchecked will see well in excess of 1 million job losses by 2018.

Motion 4 raises the importance of workplace learning and the need to use learning as an organising tool. Additionally it looks to address the links between education and learning for members to fight the government's cuts agenda.

The amendment 4.1 Lanarkshire Health, stresses the importance of establishing with employers learning agreements to advance UNISON's aims and objectives.

Motions 5 and 6 around organising in a fragmented workforce is likely to be a composite. Now confirmed as Composite A, Wednesday afternoon.

Motion 8, South Lanarkshire calls for research into the impact on the well-being of stewards given the demands placed on them, with a view to putting in place support mechanisms for stewards and members.

Motion 10, West Dunbartonshire reaffirms the decision making process within the membership within the democratic structures of the union.

Motion 11 has a very helpful amendment 11.2 from Scotland highlighting the excellent work in Scotland of our educational programme being delivered by lay activists

The NEC are likely to ask for remit of Motion 13, ‘Motion 9 Self Organisation Group Review-Next Steps’, as a consequence of ongoing work.

Negotiating and Bargaining Motions 14 to 28

Motions in this section will cover the conditions of service including pay and health and safety within the workplace. These include motions and amendments from 14 through to 28 and are supportable from a UNISON Scotland perspective.

Motion 16 and 67 on Collective Bargaining are likely to be composited (confirmed as Comp B), as are motions 25, 27 and 28 on Pay (confirmed as Comp C Tuesday afternoon). Amendment 25.4 from Lanarkshire Health highlights UNISON's achievements within NHS Scotland on the living wage.
Motion 17 from South Lanarkshire calls for support for branches facing compulsory redundancies.

Motion 19 from Aberdeenshire raises concerns around the expectations for school support staff in the administration of medication and the undue pressure placed on staff who don't have the necessary skill set to deliver this task.

Public Services - Motions 30 to 45

Motion 30 Stop Probation Privatisation can be linked to the current Scottish Parliament consultation on adult offenders.

Motion 31 is the National Executive Council's flagship motion on Public Services which highlights the inequalities that have materialised as a consequence of the government's cuts agenda.

This has a direct impact on Scotland through the budgetary allocation from Westminster.

Motions 35 and 36 (now Comp D) highlight the excellent campaigning activity on the Ethical Care Charter through UNISON Scotland's Time to Care survey which has focused communities on the need for quality in provision and time to deliver meaningful outcomes. These motions are likely to form a composite.
Motion 38 from Aberdeenshire highlights the need to campaign for affordable council housing with a focus on a detailed programme of building responsive to the local unmet need.

This is excellent opportunity to promote the UNISON Scotland's Young Members campaign and the publication of the Young Members Housing Guide 2014/15.

Health - Motions 46 to 48

Motion 46, An NHS for the Future and the amendment 46.6 from Lanarkshire Health highlights the potential for privatisation with the introduction of Health and Social Care Integration.

Campaigns - Motions 49 to 58

Motions 50 and 51 from Northern and South West regions on immigration, UKIP and the fight against policies of hate are likely to form a composite (confirmed as Comp E)

Economy, Employment Rights, Pensions - Motions 59 to 74

Motions 68, 69, 70, 71 on Zero Hours Contracts support the campaigns in Scotland from UNISON and the STUC on the policies that allow these contracts to attack the terms and conditions of working people. This is likely to form a composite (confirmed as Comp F Tuesday morning).

Motion 66 from Renfrewshire focuses on Poverty and Government Attacks.
Motion 74 from City of Edinburgh on the Retirement Age, sets out a number of activities to ensure equality and well-being.

International - Motions 75 to 86

Motion 76, Bhopal - Supporting the Campaign for Justice is supported by amendment 76.1 from Lanarkshire Health. The Scottish FDO has supported a bid from the Health and Safety Committee and International Committees to send delegates to seek justice for the people blighted by this disaster.

There will also be an International Seminar on 19 and 20 September in Manchester bringing together activists from Scotland, Northern and the North West and Bhopal will be part of the discussion.

Motion 77, 78, 79 on Palestine. This is International Year of Solidarity for the Palestinian people. Motion 81 on Turkey is from South Lanarkshire.

Motions 85 and 86, Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership will likely form a composite (confirmed as Comp G). TTIP could have hidden implications for contracting of public services and potential adverse effects on employment rights.

Constitutional Reform - Motions 93 to 97

Scotland’s Motion 93 on Scotland’s Future highlights the right for Scotland to set policy in relation to devolved matters.

The right of self-determination is recognised throughout UNISON and our Fairer Scotland document sets out the challenging position adopted by UNISON Scotland members. We want to live in a society where a public sector workforce that cares, cures and educates is acknowledged to be not a drain on society, but an achievement of society.

Motion 94 from South Lanarkshire on 'Scottish Independence Referendum’ is not prioritised.

Motion 95 (Lewisham Healthcare) on 'Scottish Referendum': well what can I say about this motion? Perhaps Lewisham would benefit from attending the UNISON Scotland fringe organised for the Tuesday lunchtime!

Northern Ireland - Motion 98

Scotland’s Amendment 98.1 criticises the roll-back on human rights and highlights the lack of political will to use equality impact assessments to tackle discrimination, making links with the same problem in Great Britain.

Efficient and Effective Union - Motions 112 to 128

The Branch Resources motions are likely to form a composite (Motions 112, 114, 115, 116, 117) (Glasgow City amendments & Scottish motion included in this composite). This should be supported.

Lambeth/Bromley amendments 112.2,112.3, 113.2, 114.1, 115.2, 116.1 117.2 are not in line with the first principle of the review and therefore should be opposed.

UPDATE: Comp H actually takes in Motions 112, 114, 115 and 117. Amendments 112.1, 112.2, 112.3, 114.1, 115.1, 115.2, 117.1 and 117.2, leaving Scotland's 116 following it in the debate on Thursday morning. Further advice will be issued at Conference.

Motion 122 from City of Edinburgh highlights the issue of people facing legal action as part of their jobs and the need to use the support they received from UNISON as a recruitment tool.

Amendments to Rule

There will be a separate Scottish briefing on Rule Amendments given to branches on the Wednesday of conference.

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