UNISON’s annual National Delegate Conference (NDC) is the union’s ruling body. Every year delegates from all over the country take part in debates to choose our campaigning priorities and policies. This year, NDC is taking place in Liverpool.
Every UNISON branch elects reps to attend annual conference and vote on behalf of their local branch members. Scotland has about 200 delegates.
Conference reports from a Scotland perspective and where Scotland delegates are particularly involved will be posted here throughout the week. For other reports see the UK pages.
All stories and photos are by Louise Noble.
20 June 2025
Lisa Neal – we must fight for dignity, equality, and justice for women in retirement.
Lisa Neal (Grampian Health Branch) highlighted the deep inequality facing women in retirement. Despite decades of equality legislation, women in ...
20 June 2025
Sophie Watson we need to fight for investment in universities
Sophie opened with energy, calling on delegates to stop scrolling on their phones and really listen — because the Higher ...
20 June 2025
Jim McFarlane, public services are vital to improving living standards and tackling poverty.
Jim spoke passionately about how vital public services are to improving living standards and tackling poverty. He criticised those in ...
20 June 2025
Stephen Smellie – Turning climate change commitments into actions
Moving the motion on climate change, Stephen stressed that climate change is here and now — already costing lives through ...
20 June 2025
Lindsay McNaught – climate change isn’t a distant threat
Lindsay McNaught backed the motion, saying climate change isn’t a distant threat — it’s here now and already changing members’ ...
20 June 2025
Ivana Ferguson – public service staff help society cope with climate emergencies
Ivana is a home carer and spoke about how climate change already affects her and her colleagues at work. As ...
20 June 2025
Cameron Thompson – stamp out sexual harassment.
Cameron spoke on motion 14 - Sexual Harassment, describing a situation at his workplace and the importance of education and ...
20 June 2025
Willie Docherty, a just transition must be led by workers
Willie Docherty reminded conference about UNISON’s 2019 Power to the People report — a resource which gave practical advice for delivering ...
19 June 2025
Fiona Park, City of Edinburgh on sexual harassment in the workplace
Fiona introduced herself as a first-time delegate and speaker, now working as a Health and Safety Officer, previously in a ...
19 June 2025
Jacqueline Keddie spoke passionately about kinship carers
Jacqueline spoke passionately about kinship carers — family or friends who step in, often at a moment’s notice, to care ...
19 June 2025
Raza Sadiq, condemned the UK government’s complicity in the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestine
Raza Sadiq (SDS Branch, Scottish Region) opened his speech with a quote from Nelson Mandela: “Our freedom is incomplete without ...
19 June 2025
Scotland’s Convenor, Mark Ferguson praises regional industrial strategy
Mark Ferguson (UNISON Scotland) moved Amendment 5.1, which highlights the significant progress UNISON has made in recent years in taking ...
19 June 2025
Vincent Ogwu-Richard on immigration policy impact on migrant workers
The UK government’s recent Immigration White Paper presents severe challenges for migrant workers in health and social care, particularly regarding ...
19 June 2025
Dave Ferguson, Police Staff Scotland
Dave Ferguson, Deputy Branch Secretary for Police Staff Scotland, spoke strongly in favour of Motion 12. Drawing on 30 years ...
18 June 2025
Building migrant networks – Charlie McCarthy
Charlie McCarthy from Forth Valley Health Branch shared a powerful example of how building migrant networks can make a real ...
18 June 2025
Kathleen Kennedy
Supporting the amendment to Motion 9 — it’s about understanding the data we collect on our branch activities and using ...
18 June 2025
Support for Branch Activists – Linda Clotworthy
Delegates should be aware of the ongoing challenges related to facility time for union reps. Many reps, including those with ...
18 June 2025
Emmanuella Ogan, Aberdeenshire Branch
Emmanuella Ogan, a first-time delegate and speaker from Aberdeenshire, delivered a heartfelt and impactful speech in support of Composite F ...
18 June 2025
UNISON General Secretary: our union will hold the new Labour Government to account
Speaking to over a thousand members gathered in Liverpool, Ms McAnea said: “Yes, I wanted a Labour government — and ...
18 June 2025
Migrant Workers – Frances Pollock
Frances highlighted the vital but undervalued contribution of migrant workers in public services — often made in the face of ...
17 June 2025
Jim McFarlane – fighting cuts, defending communities
Jim McFarlane, of Dundee City branch, speaking in support of Motion 34 (campaigning for a bailout for public services), ...