UNISON’s membership database does not have monitoring information on a large number of its members. UNISON’s membership forms do not ask members to in these areas with the exception of ethnicity. However, this means that branches find it harder to send targeted information about self -organisation for any particular SOG and thus struggle to maintain SOGs or even set them up. Conference also believes it is also important to examine alternative organising approaches for Young Members. Conference therefore instructs the National Executive Council to: Send branch secretary and regional SOG Committee and Young Members Forum guidance on alternative ways to support branch self organisation; Promote SOG and Young Member Officer training in each region; Consider how branches can be supported to encourage more members’ to declare their ethnicity and other SOG monitoring information, and use ‘MyUNISON’ to update the RMS; Ensure that swift progress is made towards enabling members to identify whether they identify as disabled via ‘MyUNISON’ and for branches to register this through WARMS; Work with each National SOG Committee and Young Members Forum, in partnership with Regional SOG Committees and Young Members Forums, to report annually on branch self-organisation within each region and report progress to branches. B. Housing Crisis Carried Conference notes that the UK faces an acute housing shortage, particularly in the South East of England, but also impacting in a significant way on many other parts of the country. This has led to rising housing costs which are unaffordable to many, leading to both housing and social problems: 1) House prices in the South East are the highest outside of London. Average homes cost £312,242, nearly 11 times the average salary; 2) Across the UK fewer affordable homes, such as social homes, are being built at a time when housing demand far outstrips supply; this is fuelling prices which are set to rise by an average of 6% nationally; 3) There is a lack of genuinely affordable housing. Tens of thousands of households live in overcrowded accommodation. Thousands of families are housed in temporary accommodation; 4) It is estimated that there were 310,000 first-time buyers last year in England, down 0.5% on the previous year, and the average first-time buyers’ deposit rose 13% to
iii) Reform welfare benefits, including an end to the bedroom tax and the lifting of welfare caps; iv) Stop the Right to Buy across the whole of the UK in line with Scotland to safeguard social housing stock for current and future generations; v) Regulate the Private Rented Sector by introducing stronger rent controls and better regulation to drive up standards, strengthen tenants’ rights and conditions by making private renting more accessible, affordable, decent and secure; vi) Provide adequate financial support for the and vulnerable to help them with housing costs and to combat homelessness and social problems. Conference on the National Executive Council to oppose the Tory Government’s Housing Bill in its entirety and work with service groups to establish ways for housing workers to influence and be involved with housing campaigns and policy between Conferences. Conference further on the National Executive Council to work with campaigns opposing the Bill such as Defend Council Housing and Kill the Housing Bill as well as other trade unions. Conference resolves to: A) Campaign for the following objectives in public policy around housing: I) A large and well-funded stock of social housing that provides secure tenancies and good quality homes; II) Better regulation of the private rented sector; III) Better and more secure jobs to allow people to be able to afford to rent or buy a good home; IV) More affordable to be built; V) More accessible housing for people with disabilities. B) Work to promote these objectives with organisations that seek to promote social and council housing provision and tenants’ rights. D. Social Care Crisis Carried Conference notes with concern the continuing pressures on council-funded social care services. Conference believes is a serious crisis in social care in the UK. This crisis has been developing for a few years and is reaching a critical point. We believe that this crisis is affecting all areas of social care, with children’s social work frontline teams at the forefront.
11. Rule G The Branch Committee Lost 12. Rule G Branch Officers Lost 13. Rule J The Political Fund Withdrawn 14. Rule P Application of Standing Orders Carried Amend Rule P 1.3.5 At the beginning of the third sentence insert the words: “The Private Contractors National Forum,” 15. Schedule A Retired Members Withdrawn 16. Schedule C Elections Carried Schedule C 4 Add at end: “Where the law allows, the National Executive Council may determine that an election shall be by either postal ballot and/or electronic ballot."