Union leaders have officially launched their top priorities for candidates standing in the 2022 local elections.
Voters will go to the polls in less than four weeks to decide the future of local authorities across Wales and UNISON is calling on candidates to support a list of key priorities designed to protect public services and the working conditions of those who provide them.
UNISON leaders met at the Venue Cymru in Llandudno to officially call on all candidates hoping to win hearts and minds at the ballot box to take action in eight key areas.
This May, UNISON wants to see council candidates dedicated to bring key services back under direct council control as well as an end to local authorities commissioning social care contracts to private providers.
The union is also calling for a stop to the scandalous system of only paying school support staff during term time as well as a fair and transparent system for assessing what pay different jobs should get as it is now more than 10 years since this type of evaluation was carried out in Wales.
Tackling climate change and driving forward urgent social housing and council house building are also among top priorities UNISON would like to see candidates focusing on at this year’s elections.
Click here for campaign resources and a full list of our UNISON priorities in English and Welsh
Lianne Dallimore, UNISON Cymru/Wales local government chair, attended the launch and said: “We are delighted council candidates have already started to demonstrate they put the priorities of working people first by pledging their support to our top priorities.
“This election is vitally important to ensure we protect our incredible public services and the working conditions of those who provide them.”
Karen Loughlin, UNISON Cymru/Wales regional secretary, said: “Public services across Wales should be at the heart of these elections and we are calling on all candidates to back our key priorities to protect them.
“This year, for the first time, 16-year-olds will be able to have their say on the future of councils across Wales so there’s never been a more important time to ensure all public services are supported for the benefit of every generation.”
All council candidates will also be asked to take part in a survey and those that sign up to the UNISON priorities will be included in a dedicated web page which is available here to record their support for well-funded public services.