UNISON Edinburgh AGM 1999

Morag Stevenson took over as Branch Secretary with Douglas Black moving to Assistant Secretary. Kevin Duguid stepped in as one of the Service Conditions Officers at the expense of Charlie McInally. Irene Stout beat off a challenge as Equalities Officer.

Motions

The following motions were passed at the AGM. Motions not heard were delegated to the Branch Committee for action.

10. Serving Scotland Campaign
Proposed by John Stevenson (Social Work), Douglas Black (Corp. Services)

This Branch welcomes the UNISON Scotland "Serving Scotland" campaign for public services in the run-up to the Scottish Parliament elections.

We recognise this is a positive campaign raising the issues which concern UNISON members and the general public. It is a campaign without fear of or favour from any party political self interest, seeking a parliament that is positive about Scotland's public services.

It notes the campaign themes are

Our services must be responsive to the needs and wishes of the Scottish people - giving them a say in their services.
Our services must be the best that can be delivered - choosing quality
Our services must be provided by a public services team, a workforce trained and qualified, treated fairly and equally, with the resources to deliver - choosing teamwork.

The campaign will call for services that are

Publicly owned and run, rather than owned and run by private consortia set up under Private Finances Initiatives
Democratically controlled rather than hived off to quangos and other non-democratic bodies
Properly resourced to ensure a proper quality of service rather than the "cheapest is best" philosophy of Best Value.

This Branch resolves to:-

1. Give its full backing to the campaign

2. Participate in joint branch initiatives across services in the Lothians

3. Organise briefings for Shop Stewards Committees

4. To seek out practical examples to campaign on locally

5. To secure the widest participation by forging links with community groups on areas of common interest.

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1. Council Budget 1999/2000
Proposed by Morag Stevenson and Douglas Black (Corporate Services)

This Branch records its concern that the 1999/2000 Council Budget will bring about more attacks on jobs and services.

Since Local Government Reorganisation over 2,000 jobs have been lost in the Council along with many in the voluntary sector. Each lost job has an adverse impact on services and a subsequent loss of provision to the most vulnerable and needy in society.

It is clear the forthcoming Council Budget carries the real threat of Compulsory Redundancies within the Council and an increase in redundancies in the Voluntary Sector caused directly through funding problems.

We support the Branch commitment to industrial action in the event of any member being made Compulsory Redundant and instruct Branch Officers to

Call upon the Council to set a budget which protects jobs and services
Join with appropriate community based organisations to campaign against cuts
Ensure the issue of cutbacks becomes a focus in the May Local Government Elections.

Further, the APF should work within the City of Edinburgh Labour Party for a Budget based on Service Provision and not on setting the lowest possible Council tax level.

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Emergency Motion 1

Sacking of Catering Workers

Proposed by John Mulgrew (LVJB), Morag Stevenson (Corporate Services)

This branch condemns the action of senior managers in Catering and Cleaning who last week issued letters terminating the contracts of staff who have resisted attempts to have reductions in working hours unilaterally imposed on them.

We note this action has been supported by councillors and by the Chief Executive's Management Team and we reject their interpretation that this does not constitute Compulsory Redundancy.

This decision displays a concerning approach which has the potentil to be applied across the whole council, and wider.

Therefore, this meeting demands the letters of termination be withdrawn and the Council agree to address this situation under the procedures for Reviews and for Redeployment.

Should such demands not be met, Branch Officers are instructed to act in accordance with Branch Policy on Compulsory redundancies and initiate procedures for a ballot for Industrial Action in support of sacked workers.

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2. Single Status
Proposed by John Mulgrew (Valuation Joint Board) and John Ross (Housing)

This Branch welcomes the Single Status initiative as a positive step to further removing the falsely perceived barriers between manual and APT&C workers with the creation of a single pay spine and a merged service conditions package.
We further welcome the commitment towards an agreed Job Evaluation system and towards ensuring Equal Opportunities for all will be a lead factor in developing Single Status.

We consider it essential any implementation must not dilute local agreements where the terms of such are an improvement on the terms of the Single Status package. Further, Single Status must be underpinned by agreeing minimum conditions at a Scottish level which would afford a level of protection in instances of rogue employers.

We call on our Scottish negotiators to seek agreement on those terms.

Agreement on the aforementioned terms would provide for this Branch committing itself to giving support to the Single Status Agreement and to seeking early discussion with the employer of the impact of single Status.

The Branch Committee must ensure decisions are made with input from the affected members and that regular updates are provided to the membership.

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Motions referred to Branch Committee and approved.

6. Provisional Improvement Notices
Proposed by D Currie and J Ross (Housing)

This meeting notes with concern the continual cutbacks within the Health and Safety Executive which is creating barriers towards their early involvement in reported breaches of Health & Safety legislation. This situation allows management to abrogate their responsibilities.

We note other countries address such issues in a manner which gives greater power to union Health & Safety Representatives through the application of Provisional Improvement Notices. This mechanism places greater onus on management to respond in an effective and timeous manner to issues raised by employees' representatives and gives greater punitive powers to the Health & Safety Executive.

We call on the union at all levels to support the TUC demands for the introduction of Provisional Improvement Notices and request Branch Officers seek a local Agreement on this initiative in advance of any legislative progress.

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14. Local Government Superannuation Scheme
Proposed by Terry O'Donnell (Education), Joe Galletta (City Development)

Given the experience of Private Pension Schemes, which were endorsed by the Thatcher Government and are now having to make compensation payments due to their poor performance in comparison to Local Government Superannuation Schemes, this Branch views with concern the latest Government proposal regarding new stakeholder pension schemes.

We call on this union at all levels to mount a campaign highlighting the benefits of membership of the Local Government Superannuation Schemes. Such a campaign should have the twin objectives of retaining those currently in membership and actively seeking recruitment from employees who are non-members of the Scheme.

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15. Superannuation Schemes
Proposed by Education Departmental Committee

Conference welcomes the work done nationally by UNISON on pensions to date, however this AGM notes with concern the comments of Baroness Blackstone, a Labour peer in the House of Lords, in opposing the Sexual Orientation Discrimination Bill for the Government, where she cited the increased costs of extending contributory superannuation schemes as "placing an unacceptable high price on other contributors."

Superannuation forms part of staff service conditions and as such should be disbursed equally and without discrimination, whereas currently, single people and couples living together or in a financially interdependent relationship, actually subsides the pensions of married couples.

Conference recognises that developments such as the judgement of the European Court of Justice in the Lisa Grant case, the current review of sex discrimination and equal pay legislation being carried out by the Equal Opportunities Commission and the current negotiations with civil service trade unions on civil service pension schemes, need to be taken into account by UNISON in pursuing the campaign for non-discriminatory pension schemes.

Given an insight into current Governmental political and fiscal leanings by Baroness Blackstone's comments, conference calls upon the National Executive Council to consider the most effective means by which UNION can pursue the campaign, including, subject to legal advice, initiating or supporting a test case through the European Courts for two surviving partners (one heterosexual and one same sex) to push the government into adopting an immediate and positive stance in the equal treatment of contributors to all pension schemes for equal benefit.

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7. Members Services
Proposed by Terry O'Donnell and Agnes Petkevicius (Education)

This Branch notes members' benefits have been frozen at those levels applicable at time of merger.

We consider these benefits to be of great assistance to many members and a positive attraction in terms of recruitment.

We call upon the NEC to bring to the 2000 Annual Conference proposals which would ensure there is a direct link between the monetary value of those benefits and any increases in subscription levels.

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8. Communications and the Strategic Review
Proposed by John Stevenson (Social Work), John Ross (Housing)

Conference notes that the Strategic Review was designed to integrate and devolve UNISON structures in the interests of an improved service to members.

It also notes that, in this context, Conference resolutions have stressed the importance of lay control and involvement in an efficient and co-ordinated communications strategy across the union. Conference believes this reflects the success of a communications ethos that has involved members and employees throughout the union and given UNISON a profile which, after only a few years, far exceeds that of other unions and indeed the previous partner unions.

Conference recognises that a corporate communications strategy that builds on UNISON's profile with its members and the public is essential to campaigning in our members' interests, is crucial to recruitment and retention and benefits the trade union movement as a whole. It also recognises that UNISON must capitalise on the strength its of its size and importance in the trade union movement and in British society.

Conference instructs the NEC to ensure, whatever structures are adopted, that they are implemented or adapted in a way that ensures a communications strategy is maintained that delivers:-

1. strategic planning of communications at a time when a co-ordinated and professional approach is more important than ever,

2. an approach that can combat the formidable corporate communications machines of employers and political parties,

3. direct lay control over and involvement in communications at all levels,

4. professional services maintained in-house, avoiding outsourcing wherever possible,

5. an integrated service, avoiding the expense and waste of fragmented, compartmentalised and uncoordinated planning and provision,

6. practical and effective devolution to Regions, while maintaining the central structures and resources necessary for the leadership, professional support, exchange of ideas and clear strategic planning essential to national campaigns and projects,

7. systems that ensure that all services, sectors and groups in the union have equal access to the whole of the union's campaigning and communication resources, according to need and in line with Conference priorities.

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Click Here for Amended Branch Rules

9. Rule Changes

The following rule changes were passed by the requisite two-thirds majority.

1 Section A Part 5 Conduct of Meetings
Proposed by: Murray Forgie (Education), John Mulgrew (LVJB)

Add new clause (f)

"If any member of a Branch Committee or sub-committee or Departmental Committee has not attended for two consecutive meetings without submitting their apologies, the lead officer of that body shall contact them to ascertain if there is a problem. If they fail to attend a third consecutive meeting, it shall be reported to the constituency which elected them in order that it may consider the matter of absence and whether any action is required."

(This rule change is proposed to address the issue of inquorate meetings.)

2 Section A Part 8 c)iii) Expenses
Proposed by: Murray Forgie (Education), John Mulgrew (LVJB)

Delete "via an operator authorised by the Branch and"

This clause would now read:

"Any use of taxis must be with the prior approval of the Branch Secretary or Treasurer". (This rule change is proposed to bring the rule into line with current Branch practice.)

3 Section A Part 8 c) iv) Expenses
Proposed by: Murray Forgie (Education), John Mulgrew (LVJB)

Delete "Branch Committee or Branch AGM"

Insert "Branch AGM or Branch Committee via the Policy and Finance Committee".

This clause would now read:
"Out of pocket expenses shall be paid for Conferences and Education courses where appropriate at rates to be decided from time to time by the Branch AGM or Branch Committee via the Policy and Finance Committee." (This rule change is proposed in order to provide consistency with clause 8 a).)

4 Section A Part 15 c) Annual Report
Proposed by: Murray Forgie (Education), John Mulgrew (LVJB)

After "at" insert "all scheduled"

This rule would now read:
"Attendances at all scheduled Branch Committees...” (This rule change would allow attendances at inquorate meetings to be recorded)

5 Section B Part 4 Quorum, and Section D (1)
Proposed by: John Stevenson (Social Work) Murray Forgie (Education)

Add new 4.3:
"The quorum of the Branch Committee, Branch Sub-Committees and Departmental Committees shall be one-third of the relevant committee's membership."
Section D

Delete D.1.e) and re-letter clause f) as e), Delete D.3.6

Delete D.4.7 and renumber clause 8) as 7), Delete D.5.7

(This rule change would give a consistent quorum across all branch and departmental committees. The deletions tidy up the rules by removing individual quorum references)

Section D - Service Conditions Team (2)
Proposed by: John Mulgrew (LVJB), Murray Forgie (Education)

Add new Part 4 as follows:
"4. Service Conditions team
1. The Service Conditions Team shall consist of:
a) The Service Conditions Co-ordinator, The Service Conditions Convenors and the Service Conditions Officers.
b) The President, Chairperson, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Equalities Officer, Health & Safety Officer and Regional Officer.
c) Other officers and convenors of Departmental Committees will be invited to attend as and when appropriate.
d) Meetings of the Service Conditions Team will be convened by the Service Conditions Co-ordinator monthly (prior to the Service Conditions Committee) and will be chaired by the Branch President or Chairperson.

2. The minutes and other relevant information will be submitted to the Service Conditions Committee for information/decision.

3. The purpose and remit of the Service Conditions Team is:
a) to ensure all relevant Officers have an in depth knowledge of all ongoing service conditions matters within the branch
b) to provide each other with any necessary support or advice on service conditions matters
c) to oversee and monitor allocation and progress of cases and duties
d) to direct or/and support the branch's lead negotiators and to work out strategies for the implementation of Branch and national service conditions related policy decisions, either by acting on matters devolved to it by the Service Conditions Committee or Branch Committee or by making recommendations to these bodies.
e) to nominate the Branch candidate for Staff Side Secretary subject to endorsement by the Branch Committee"

4. The service Conditions team shall set up working groups as it considers appropriate (subject to approval from the Service Conditions Committee)
Renumber subsequent parts.

7 Section D Part 4 Equalities Sub Committee (3)
Proposed by: Murray Forgie (Education), John Mulgrew (LVJB)

Add new clause 9 as follows:

"The Equalities Sub Committee shall meet regularly and shall submit minutes of meetings to the Branch Committee for information/decision."

(The purpose of this rule change is to bring the Sub Committee into line with other Sub Committees of the Branch.)

8 Section D Part 8.4 Policy and Finance Sub Committee (3)
Proposed by: Murray Forgie (Education), John Mulgrew (LVJB)

After "Committees" delete full stop and insert:

"And shall submit minutes to the Branch Committee for information/decision."
This rule would now read: "The Committee will meet monthly between Branch Committees and shall submit minutes to the Branch Committee for information/decision"

(The purpose of this rule change is to bring the Sub Committee into line with other Sub Committees of the Branch.)

9 Section E Part 3.1 Role of Branch Chairperson
Proposed by: John Mulgrew (LVJB) Murray Forgie (Education)

Add after "President":

"And (in liaison with the Branch Vice Chairpersons) shall chair"

This rule would now read:
"The Branch Chairperson shall chair all meetings of the Branch in the absence of the President and (in liaison with the Branch Vice Chairpersons) shall chair the Branch Committee and other established Committees." (The purpose of this rule change is to enable the President, Chairperson and Vice Chairpersons to allocate Committees amongst themselves. This will allow for time off requests to be planned and will ensure a full role for the Vice Chairpersons.)

10 Section E Part 5 Role of Branch Secretary (4)
Proposed by: Murray Forgie (Education), John Mulgrew (LVJB)

Add new clause 3:

"Will convene and attend monthly meetings of the Policy and Finance Committee"
Renumber existing clauses.

(This reflects current Branch practice and further defines the responsibility of the Branch Secretary.)

11 Section E Part 8 Role of Branch Equalities Officer (4)
Proposed by: Murray Forgie (Education), John Mulgrew (LVJB)

Add new clause 3:

"Will convene and attend monthly meetings of the Equalities Sub Committee"
Renumber existing clauses.

(This reflects current Branch practice and further defines the responsibility of the Branch Equalities Officer.)

12 Section E Part 9 Role of Health and Safety Convenor (4)
Proposed by: Murray Forgie (Education), John Mulgrew (LVJB)

Add new clause 3:

"Will convene and attend monthly meetings of the Health and Safety Sub Committee"
Renumber existing clauses.

(This reflects current Branch practice and further defines the responsibility of the Branch Health and Safety Convenor.)

13 Section E Part 10 Role of Branch Service Conditions Co-ordinator (2)
Proposed by: John Mulgrew (LVJB) Murray Forgie (Education)

Add new clause c) as follows:

"c) will convene and attend monthly meetings of the Service Conditions Sub Committee"

Add new clause d) as follows:
"d) will convene and attend monthly meetings of the Service Conditions Team"

Delete clause f)
Renumber existing clauses.

(This reflects the rule regarding the Branch and Policy and Finance Committees [see under Secretary] and also reflects current practice within the Branch. The deletion of clause f) is a result of the rule regarding the Service Conditions Team [see new Part 4 proposed in Section D - Rule change No.6])

14 Standing Orders
Quorum; Standing Order 3.1
Proposed by: John Stevenson (Social Work), John Mulgrew (LVJB)
Add note at end of SO3 as follows:
"The quorum for other meetings shall be as set out in Rule B.4."

(This Standing Order change reflects the change to Rule B.4 and provides a link to it)

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