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National
Conference Bournemouth 2002 |
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Scotland
Daily Briefings
Tuesday 18 June No 1 Briefing |
Welcome to Bournemouth
Welcome to your first briefing from the Communications & Campaigns
Committee in conjunction with the Scottish Region delegates. OK
so some of you have spent two days at the Local Government meeting
(except Edinburgh but that's another story), but this is the first
actual Conference day.
The daily briefings will reflect Scottish Council policies as
set by branches over the years and in the pre-Conference briefing
issued to the April Scottish Council. We hope to issue occasional
reports on major issues for branches to use in magazines back
home. These will also go on the website.
Conference - let's get on with it
Conference is getting better at getting on with the business
but there are still times when we spend ages on the first morning
raking over the order of business, points of order and all manner
of fiddly wee procedural things.
The business has been prioritised in consultation with Regions,
so lets get on with it. Not for the first time there is a motion
to change the start time on the first day to 9.30 (I think South
Lanarkshire once submitted an amendement for 9.32).
Well, let's see how keen they are for an early start if there's
extra time on Friday! See over for advice on today's main debates.....
Key Contacts
Mike Kirby and Mary Crichton are this year's Scottish Regional
delegates. They are there to help, especially if you want to get
into a debate.
They have a key role in promoting Scottish policy, organising
and giving branches a way to join together to promote policies
more effectively.
Robin Hunter is our rep on the Standing Orders Committee and
is a mine of information.
COMP G REGIONAL GOVERNMENT
Need to grasp the resources nettle
We should reciprocate the support for devolved government that
we received for a Scottish Parliament. The debate on devolution
for English regions has moved on and Comp G outlines all the reasons
why we should be backing government closer to the people.
The composite rightly points to the need to maintain effective
local government mirroring the position taken in the campaign
in Scotland. However this will, as it has in Scotland, throw into
focus the need for resources for UNISON Regions to play a full
part in the process.
There will be a need to work with, and make comments and submissions
to a range of regional bodies like regional Chambers, Regional
Development Agencies and many other organisations.
All this will require the union to look at how it organises itself
and provides the tools for the job. Support Comp
COMP A Comprehensive Spending Review
Scotland is part of this comprehensive composite and will play
a role in setting the union's policy on the economy and public
services.
Calling for a campaign for a dramatic increase in investment
in public services, the composite also highlights the restrictions
on public spending caused by the drive to European Monetary Union.
The amendment causes difficulties in that, while we would have
preferred an income tax solution (progressive taxation) to more
money for the NHS, the NI rise comes close.
Support Comp A Oppose A.1
79 & 78 care of the elderly
Care of the elderly is the focus for the social policy debate
and we should support the Scottish model of free personal care
for the rest of the UK
Comp K Stop The War
Keeping the focus on peace
Comp K could well be reached this afternoon. The sentiments in
this composite broadly reflect Scottish policy although the motion
goes further in some areas.
The key issue of no war on Iraq was explicitly debated and backed
by Scottish Council. Scottish Council also reflected an ‘anti-war
but not anti-response' position on September 11.
We also drew attention to the danger of a rise in racism and
anti-Islamic feeling and committed ourselves to challenge that.
We did not affiliate to the Stop the War coalition but did agree
to work with it.
There is an issue for Scottish policy (and indeed national policy)
in that we need to be satisfied that organisations we officially
link to are democratic, publish audited accounts etc.
This organisation, like any other, would have to pass these tests.
The first amendment tidies up the taxation issue and should be
supported. The second amendment however can cause constitutional
problems and is best avoided.
Like in any other issue, UNISON would have to be satisfied that
the ‘tests' mentioned above were met. In any case, members can
of course participate without the need for a ‘UNISON' stamp. Support
K.1 Oppose K.2
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