Local government

National news

Ofsted members to strike

(09/05/08) One-day action to be followed by overtime ban

For safety’s sake

(08/05/08) Meat inspection to remain in public control

Fight for fair pay continues

(23/04/08) Birmingham council workers begin two-day strike

Report warns councils face chronic staff shortage

(21/04/08) UNISON calls for improved pay and conditions to counter workforce losses
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Talking points

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Social care

UNISON supports more than 300,000 members working in social care services - for employers in the statutory, private and voluntary sectors.

We campaign for the best possible deal for employees and for the highest standards of care for service users. We support key parts of the government reform agenda but we believe that services are grossly underfunded and that the views of those who deliver the services are too often ignored.

UNISON is working hard to ensure members can give the best possible service to the public. We are lobbying, campaigning and negotiating for:

  • Major resource investment to ensure successful change.
  • An end to the "name and shame" culture.
  • Better pay, conditions and training opportunities for social workers.
  • A reform process where the views of those who do the work are treated with respect

    The key committee where the views of UNISON's social care workers are represented is the national social services forum. Each UNISON region appoints a rep to attend that committee. It provides advice to the national service group executive and guides our responses to government consultation documents.

    Save Our Homecare Services: a Local Election Issue?

    (17/04/08) This circular reminds branches of UNISON’s ongoing campaign on homecare and provides two examples of how branches turned the future of homecare into a local election issue. This circular also updates branches on the latest position on proposals for compulsory registration for homecare workers in England. A6798.doc

    Home Care Stewards/Contacts Network

    (05/03/08) This circular is a request for branches to identify and provide details of home care workers that would like to be included on a new stewards/contacts list. A6799.doc

    Children's Social Work Remodelling Pilots

    (03/04/08) This circular advises branches of nine local authorities which have been selected as pilots for a remodelling social work delivery project aimed at freeing up social work time spent with children and families. A6800.doc

    Briefing on Health and Social Care Bill House of Commons Second Reading

    (26/11/07) UNISON supports the Government’s emphasis in the Health and Social Care Bill on the importance of public protection. But we do have concerns. Read our briefing for MP's here and our joint union briefing here.

    Approved Social Workers - give us your views on the draft Mental Health Act Code of Practice

    (26/11/07) The Department of Health have issued a revised draft of the Code of Practice for consultation, and we would like your views to input into our response.

    UNISON Briefing on Children and Young Persons Bill for House of Lords Second Reading

    (26/11/07) UNISON believes that the Bill offers an opportunity for the Government to work with local authorities and the trade unions to identify ways of improving working conditions, managing workloads and freeing up social workers and other staff to focus on direct work with children, in the way that it has done with the local government and school workforce unions in relation to teachers. However, we have some concerns about the models that have been suggested by the Government as a means of achieving these aims, which you can read here.

    New regulator for Health and Adult Social Care in England

    The Government’s plans to set up a new health and adult social care regulator for England through a merger of the existing Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and the Healthcare Commission (HCC).

    Research on Direct Payments

    A new UK wide study has been carried out into direct payments in social care. It contains important detail on how schemes are operating, including on pay and conditions for personal assistants, but draws dubious conclusions about staff resistance to expansion of direct payments.

    Individual Budgets - The Next Big Thing?

    The Government’s policy is to promote Individual Budgets in social care – ahead of the results of an independent evaluation of the pilots. Branches are asked to circulate the following briefing widely among social care activists and members as a basis for discussion.

    Review of the Social Work profession- UNISON response

    (27/06/07) UNISON has responded to the General Social Care Council consultation on defining the role and tasks of social work in England.

    UNISON responds to Social Care White Paper

    UNISON calls for Government action to address challenges facing social care services in a letter to Department of Health Ministers in response to the health and social care White Paper Our health, our care, our say.

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  • CONTACT DETAILS
    • For urgent help and advice at work to go Help at Work
    • The UNISON national secretary for local government is Heather Wakefield.
    UNISON Local government
    1 Mabledon Place
    London WC1H 9AJ
    localgovernment@unison.co.uk

    Pay matters

    A fair deal for public service workers

    Recent documents

    Speakers' notes: Employer's Final Offer

    Speakers' notes for the 2008 Pay Claim
    Link to a PowerPoint document on this sitePay Claim 2008 - Employer's Final Offer [PPT]
    Link to a PDF document on this siteSpeakers' notes: Employer's Final Offer

    Getting GOing in local government

    A guide to the GO Award for UNISON learning reps and branches
    Link to a PDF document on this siteGetting GOing in local government

    Why meat inspection should not be privatised

    UNISON briefing on the why meat inspection should not be privatised.
    Link to a PDF document on this siteWhy meat inspection should not be privatised
    Link to a document on this siteOnline HTML version

    Write to your MP

    Model letter to write to your MP asking them to oppose the privatisation of meat inspection.
    Link to a PDF document on this siteWrite to your MP
    Link to a document on this siteOnline HTML version