Community Vice President Gareth Davies spoke on two motions at conference relevant to members in the NLBD section.
Unfortunately, as Gareth spoke without notes, we are unable to reproduce his comments here. However, below is the full text of both motions.
Motion 24 Access to work
Congress notes the Government's consultation paper Improving Specialist Employment Services. However, the Government's current proposals will mean that in future public sector employers will no longer be able to access central funding for the costs of paying for reasonable adjustments under the Access to Work Scheme. Transferring funding liability direct to public sector employers may create an unacceptable 'postcode lottery' where special adjustment outcomes for disabled people depend too much on the individual employer's financial security. For example, in the NHS, the proposals may generate unfortunate choices where the interests of the disabled worker are pitted against budget needs for medical expenditure.
Congress is concerned that such a move will therefore reduce disabled people's employment opportunities in the public sector.
Congress:
i) calls on public sector unions to continue to work with the TUC to monitor the impact of these changes where they have already occurred in the central government ministries and assess their likely impact if extended to cover all public sector employers;
ii) calls upon the TUC Disability Committee to co-ordinate a national campaign to defend Access to Work, to be launched at Congress 2008 and to include a lobby of Parliament;
iii) urges all affiliates to publicise the disastrous consequences for the employment of disabled people should Access to Work be removed from the public sector; and
iv) reminds affiliates of the importance of monitoring the level of compliance among public sector employers with their disability equality duties to remove the barriers to employment opportunities for disabled people and assist the TUC's lobbying.
Congress instructs the General Council to:
a) highlight to Government that small public sector employers are less able than large private sector ones to fund necessary adjustments; and
b) campaign to ensure that public service job opportunities are not denied to disabled people through lack of Access to Work funding.
TUC Disability ConferenceComposite Motion 11 Rail transport
Congress is appalled by the massive fare increases facing rail passengers, which demonstrates the impracticability of private ownership in a transport system where profit takes precedence over investment. The Government's failure to address the underlying problems of ownership and fragmentation mean that the rail industry continues to be prevented from fulfilling its full social, economic and environmental potential.
Congress criticises the Government for actively encouraging above-inflation price increases for rail passengers that not only penalise the travelling public but, by discouraging rail use, act as an inducement to growing road and air travel with consequent environmental degradation, while also filling shareholders' pockets. Congress calls on the Government to oblige train operating companies to adopt a more transparent approach to the availability of the cheapest advertised rail fares which customers regularly struggle to purchase. Congress also calls on the Government to extend free concessionary travel for disabled people. Congress reiterates its support for a publicly owned and accountable railway.
Congress welcomes the completion of the high speed rail link between London St Pancras and the Channel Tunnel, but believes this compares adversely with other European countries such as Spain and calls for publicly owned and publicly accountable high speed links to be developed in the UK with an affordable fares structure to promote high usage.
Congress notes that:
i) in the past ten years rail freight has grown by 66 per cent;
ii) the average freight train can take 50 HGVs off the road with an aggregate train removing 120 HGVs;
iii) per tonne carried, rail produces between five and ten times less emissions than road transport; and
iv) congestion currently costs transport users and operators about £15 billion a year and this could double over the next decade.
Congress believes that:
a) in the UK's struggle to reduce its carbon emissions, moving freight on to rail is an important tool;
b) putting freight on to the rail system will not only help defeat global warming but will also reduce road congestion, which has economic benefits;
c) in the current economic climate, the greater oil efficiency offered by rail makes it far more cost-efficient;
d) in order to facilitate the movement of goods on to the railways, there must be substantial investment in rail freight infrastructure, including rail terminals at airports and ports nationwide; and
e) only a fully integrated freight transport system can maximise the transportation of goods whilst lowering carbon emissions.
Congress notes that:
1) after negative reaction in the 2007 White Paper Delivering a Sustainable Railway, the Government now says it 'sees great potential for a rolling programme of electrification';
2) the UK came 24th out of 33 in terms of percentage of European track that was electrified at the end of 2005;
3) oil is believed to have already reached its peak production; and many experts believe oil will have run out completely 40 years from now; and
4) operators do not hold franchises long enough to invest for the long-term.
Congress believes that electrification of rail in the UK would:
A) make for a railway that is cleaner for both driver and passenger;
B) radically reduce emissions that cause global warming;
C) by cutting reliance on oil, ensure a rail network will exist in the future; and
D) bring long term savings - because there are fewer moving parts, train maintenance becomes simpler and cheaper, and because the vehicles vibrate less, electric traction trains have longer operational lives.
Further, Congress is convinced that the introduction of change on the scale it envisages will mean funding from central government. Congress therefore instructs the General Council to:
i) support, publicise and lobby on behalf of the electrification of rail, seeking the broadest support from passengers, trade unionists, environmentalists and government; and
ii) argue that nuclear power is not the best way to deliver the additional electricity that needs to be generated and call for a full government review of all alternatives.
Congress instructs the General Council to:
a) support the construction of freight terminals to help the development of a fully integrated freight network;
b) support the campaign to put more goods on the rail freight network in order to reduce the UK's carbon emissions and relieve road congestion; and
c) examine the construction of freight-only railway lines to make transportation more efficient.
Congress welcomes recent announcements in respect of high-speed rail lines and rail electrification, but notes from Spain that long-term planning, public funding and political will are all prerequisites in delivering such projects. Congress calls on the Government to recognise the urgent need for these ingredients in the UK.
Mover: Transport Salaried Staffs' AssociationSeconder: Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and FiremenSupporter: Community