On Friday 27 and Saturday 28 February UNISON members gathered in Solihull for this year’s national community conference and seminar, celebrating membership growth across all regions – driven by sustained organising efforts and a workforce largely made up of women, Black members, and support workers.
UNISON general secretary Andrea Egan welcomed the Employment Rights Act as a major step forward and praised the service group’s organising work. She called for continued campaigning to ensure community workers are properly valued and recognised saying, “let’s be clear: organising in community is not just industrial work. It is equality work. It is anti-racist work. It is feminist work.”
Ms Egan also highlighted the growing momentum for migrant care workers, pointing to the surge in grassroots activism across the country, “we are organising. Hundreds attended the parliamentary lobby. Migrant worker networks are growing across regions. Members are writing to MPs, speaking publicly and leading campaigns. When migrant workers organise, the balance of power shifts.”
CEO of Hope Not Hate Nick Lowles addressed conference on the threat posed by Reform UK and its plans to repeal both the Employment Rights Act and the Equality Act. He reminded delegates that despite polling gains, Reform UK does not represent the majority of the country. Through effective community organising and a clear electoral strategy – he said – they can be defeated.
Industrial action and solidarity
Conference heard from members at the National Coal Mining Museum for England, who have been on strike since mid August. They are calling for fair pay and for managers to be transparent about the charity’s finances. The workers have secured cross-party backing from Wakefield council, with both Conservative and Labour councillors supporting their campaign. Their petition calling for the resignation of the board of trustees and chief executive Lynn Dunning has now attracted more than 3,000 signatures.
Health, safety and accessibility
UNISON national officer for health and safety Joe Donnelly spoke about the impact of psychosocial risks in the workplace and how members can advocate for safer working conditions. Delegates also took part in an introduction to British Sign Language, facilitated by HearFirst, reinforcing the union’s commitment to accessibility and inclusion.
National Care Service
Gavin Edwards thanked members for their relentless commitment, recognising that it was community service group activists who “planted the seeds” for change and “watered them too,” ensuring social care became a priority for the union. He praised care workers as skilled professionals carrying out complex, demanding roles every day, challenging the damaging myth that care work is unskilled.
Mr Edwards also spoke powerfully about the growing strength of collective action, pointing to the Fair Pay Agreement and the campaign for a National Care Service as proof that sustained organising delivers results. His message was clear and confident: when members speak directly to power and stand together for fairness, justice is within reach.
Year of Green Activity
The conference highlighted the 2026 UNISON year of green activity, underlining why climate change is a core trade union issue. From the impact of extreme weather on frontline services to the need for secure, green jobs, delegates discussed how climate justice and workers’ rights are closely connected.
Michelle Singleton, UNISON’s lead officer on climate change, outlined the packed programme of activity and resources planned for the year ahead. She explained how branches and members can get involved, from workplace initiatives to national campaigns, ensuring members play a leading role in the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Stepping forward: developing Black members in community
UNISON’s learning and organising services (LAOS) led a session on developing Black members in the community sector, using the UNISON anti-racism charter as a guide. The discussion explored how the charter can help dismantle barriers and create meaningful opportunities for organising and supporting Black members. The charter is a shared commitment – not a slogan, a box-ticking exercise, or a one-off training. It is about recognising, challenging, and changing racism in how the union works, leads, and makes decisions.
Defending and improving your pension
A further session focused on the potential cost of a Reform UK government, including its stated aim of closing pension schemes. Delegates discussed how to organise effectively against the arguments used to attack pensions and how to strengthen campaigning to defend defined benefit schemes while securing improvements to defined contribution arrangements for members.
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