Unison Community National Seminar & Conference 2019 #uCVS19

Day one of our unison conference for members who work for voluntary organisations and housing associations.

First thing was meeting of our Service Community Executive to agree on last minute arrangements, platform speakers and our position on amendments.

We also agreed to support our members taking industrial action tomorrow to protect "Sleep in" payments from being cut by AFG (Alternative Futures Group).

This is not a case of inadequate funding but an organisation that is choosing to slash and burn the pay of its already low paid work force.

Next, sector meetings for housing associations, Community & voluntary, Major Charities, new delegate briefing, Then start of seminar at 2pm.

UNISON Community Conference 2015

On the train back to London with UNISON delegates after our annual National Seminar and
Conference in Bradford.  See previous posts on the Seminar which took place immediately before here and here.

The Conference was chaired by UNISON Vice President Wendy Nichols. Community is the Service Group for UNISON members who work for Housing Associations and Voluntary organisations. We are the third biggest Service Group in the union and have over 60,000 members and I was there as one of the two National Executive Committee members for Community.

After the usual introductions, standing orders report and appointment of tellers the Annual Report was accepted and the debates on motions began.  There were 10 different motions which were debated. All were supported by the Service Group Executive (SGE) and all motions were agreed by Conference and are now our policy.  Including my branch motion on Union busting.  I spoke on the Pensions Composite (which was an agreed merger of two motions) on behalf of the Service Group Executive.

There was some incredibly powerful speeches made with delegates explaining their struggle to provide quality services while on the minimum wage or zero hour contracts. One speaker explained how she had to depend on food banks to survive. It was also pointed out that there was only 3 young members present (including Rachel from our branch) which is not good and needs to be addressed.

There was quite a controversial point put forward by one delegate during the debate on welfare reform that anyone who does not think that there is any difference between Labour and the Tories are "fools and liars".

This is now I believe our 5th Community Conference and I think we are far more confident and certain of our identity as a separate, independent and growing Service Group within UNISON.  We were pretty united as a Conference and aware of what we are up against and what we have to do to defend and represent our members. Key to this is trade union recognition, organising, recruiting more members and activists while ensuring that we have effective structures and local support.

(picture of London delegates speaking on motions and centre of June Poole moving Pensions compositive A)

Why Income Equality at work is better for everyone

Further to the outrageous pay cuts to low paid staff proposed by the Loadsofmoney CEO of Family Mosaic. This motion has been submitted

to the UNISON Community Conference next year.

Why Income Equality at work is better for everyone
This conference notes the gross inequality in pay at many Housing Associations. “Inside Housing” reports that 58 Chief Executives earn more than the Prime Minster, while the highest earner, Jane Ashcroft of Anchor (established in 1968 by “Help the Aged”) received £331,250 - up 14 per cent on last year.

At the same time many workers in the sector existed on the minimum wage rate of just £5.93 per hour. This means that the most highly paid Executive got £26,605 per month while many of the lowest paid got just £949. This is nearly 30 times more.

The book “The Spirit Level” by research scientists Professors Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett demonstrate that excessive income inequality in society results in premature death, greater levels of mental illness, drug abuse, poor education attainment, imprisonment, violence and obesity. Societies that are more equal such as Sweden and Japan are more successful for everyone in all measurable ways. Both the rich and the poor benefit.  This conference believes:-

That Housing Associations should recognise that internal income inequality is as bad for its workers and residents as it is for the wider society. It is corrosive, divisive and destructive. Profiteering for the few threatens the raison d’être for the entire sector. It results in poor staff morale and industrial relations, mistrust from residents and a reputational political risk to the whole sector.

If Housing Associations believe that they need to reduce their cost base to compete for contracts they should firstly cut the pay of their Senior Management Team.

We support the recommendations of the Hutton report on Fair Pay that “every public body should annually publish the multiple of top to median pay in a clear and presentable way” and that employee representatives should be on the Executive Remuneration Committees.

Every single worker whether directly employed or subcontracted should receive at least a Regional living wage rate. This conference calls on:-

Our Service Group Executive to campaign for greater Income Equality, using the press and media, working with the National Housing Federation if possible, and lobbying Government.

The Service Group Executive to explore affiliating to the Equality Trust

To request Labour Link campaigns for statutory regulation of pay multiples in Housing Association’s, increased public spending to combat poverty and fair progressive levels of income taxation.

(there is an amendment adding an action point which might cause problems with standing orders)