- Conference
- 2003 National Delegate Conference
- Date
- 21 February 2003
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
Conference notes that members of the House of Commons have agreed to amend their pension scheme and among the changes are benefits for surviving unmarried partners albeit the benefits have only been extended by requiring an increase in contributions.
UNISON has campaigned for a similar extension of benefits in the public service pension schemes where its members predominate, but it is UNISON policy, based upon actuarial evidence, that there is no need to increase contributions. At present pension contributors can nominate the person who they wish the death benefit to be paid to. However if they are unmarried their pension dies with them. This is gross discrimination against heterosexual couples who choose not to marry also gay and lesbian couples who cannot get married.
Conference asks the National Executive Council to:
1)raise awareness amongst the membership about this issue;
2)ensure that its campaign to persuade the Government to bring in legislation to remove the discrimination against same sex, unmarried couples and single people in the pension system remains integral to and at the forefront of all its campaigning on pensions.