Motions for AGM 2008
MOTION 3 - FUNDING CRISIS IN THE VOLUNTARY
SECTOR
This AGM is deeply concerned about the funding crisis affecting
the voluntary sector. It recognises this has arisen because the
voluntary sector is at the end of the Local Authority funding chain.
This has implications not only for our members in the voluntary
sector, who, year after year have had wage rises well below inflation,
but also, as these organisations strive to keep costs down, for
the quality of the services provided to some of the most vulnerable
in our society.
This AGM recognises that the voluntary sector delivers many essential
public services. These services, provided in partnership with local
authorities, should be based on quality of provision and not on
the basis of funding services on the cheap.
This AGM further recognises that voluntary organisations committed
to maintaining quality standards of care are very likely in the
current climate to lose out to private companies who provide services
on a shoestring, by paying minimum wages and cutting the support
systems, such as training and supervision, that staff working with
vulnerable people need.
UNISON's commitment to negotiating for pay and conditions for voluntary
sector workers that are no less favourable than Local Authority
equivalents has fallen foul of the current funding crisis and the
below inflation increases in Government funding to Local Authorities.
Therefore this AGM
1. calls on the branch to continue to negotiate with individual
employers for pay increases for our members which are in line with
their Local Authority equivalents, recognising the financial pressures
which voluntary sector employers face;
2. welcomes the joint campaign by the STUC, the Scottish Council
for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), TGWU/Unite, UNISON Scotland,
and the Community Care Providers Scotland (CCPS) to secure.
a. the same level of pay and conditions for front line workers in
the Community and Voluntary Sector as for public sector workers
b. 5 year contracts to replace current short-term funding arrangements
c. Improvements in commissioning and competitive tendering to ensure
high quality services
d. a national contract framework covering the key principles of
commissioning and funding to be agreed between the Scottish Government,
purchasers and providers.
3. calls on UNISON Scotland to mobilize our members in the community
and voluntary sector to lobby individual MSPs on this matter.
Proposed Branch Committee
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MOTION 4 - SUPPORT FOR SHELTER SCOTLAND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING CAMPAIGN
This AGM calls on the Branch to support Shelter's Campaign for
30,000 new affordable rented homes to be built during the life of
this Scottish Parliament and asks for this issue to be raised at
UNISON's Scottish Council to seek its support for the affordable
homes campaign.
The Branch is also asked to consider affiliating to Shelter.
Proposed Steven Gray
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MOTION 5 - ASYLUM SEEKER CHILDREN
This AGM welcomes the progress that has been made since it first
passed a motion on asylum seeker children and their families. Since
then, UNISON Scotland has issued guidance for members working in
this field and similar guidance is now being drawn up for the rest
of the UK.
UNISON Scotland has also campaigned in many ways for these children
to be treated the same as any other child in Scotland. Scottish
law and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child says that the
rights and welfare of all children must be placed as paramount and
UNISON Scotland has continued to push for this. It has built alliances
with other relevant organisations in Scotland and has lobbied the
Scottish Government. It has given evidence to the Independent Asylum
Commission Review and has highlighted its position at a number of
Conferences and at the STUC.
UNISON Scotland is also playing a key role in the setting up of
a UK Conference to campaign for the removal of the UK Government's
reservation on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
This AGM is pleased to note the announcement by the Borders and
Immigration Agency that 1400 families who have lived in Scotland
for more than 3 years, known as "legacy cases" will be given leave
to remain, with another 400 being "assessed". Whilst this decision
seems to have been made primarily for pragmatic and financial reasons,
it is believed that the campaigning of UNISON Scotland and others
has had some influence. Significantly, UNISON has contributed to
the fact that politicians now regularly refer to the welfare of
the child being paramount. This has had a significant effect on
the political context.
However, there are still serious concerns about the treatment of
children and young people within the immigration and asylum processes.
A consultation document on unaccompanied asylum seekers, with proposals
to prepare young people for deportation when they turn 18, makes
it abundantly clear that the Home Office does not see the welfare
of the child as paramount.
Furthermore, the "New Asylum Model" with its focus on quick decision
making, has no greater requirement to consider the child's circumstances
and welfare as the last asylum process did. Therefore the campaign
does not end here and this AGM recognises that there is a need to
keep up the pressure on the UK government to respect the rights
of these children and to make decisions which place their welfare
as paramount.
It calls on the branch to :-
1. build on the work already done through maintaining alliances
with other groups sharing UNISON's aims
2. in all relevant forums, to continue to campaign for the principle
that the welfare of all children in Scotland is paramount
3. urge that the excellent anti-racism work done at Scottish level
continues to combat the myths and misinformation that can lead to
asylum seekers being demonised
4. publicise the forthcoming UK conference campaigning against the
government's reservation from the UN Convention on the Rights of
the Child
5. urge UNISON Scotland to maintain its advice and support to members
working with asylum seeker children by updating existing information
as necessary and providing pointers to other resources
Proposed Branch Committee
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