- Conference
- 2003 National Delegate Conference
- Date
- 25 February 2003
- Decision
- Carried
Conference draws to the attention of the National Executive Council the 2002 report and recommendations of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The Committee makes far reaching recommendations to the UK Government as a signatory of the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
The recommendations of the Committee include:
1)the need to establish Human Rights Commissions in England, Scotland and Wales;
2)the need to include social, economic and cultural rights in the Northern Ireland Bill of Rights;
3)the need to tackle discrimination;
4)the need to improve the level of, and remove age discrimination from, the minimum wage;
5)the need to tackle the growing problem of domestic violence;
6)the need to prohibit the physical punishment of children;
7)the need for comprehensive action on poverty, social exclusion and the increasing gap between rich and poor; and
8)the need to protect the right to strike.
Conference now calls on the National Executive Council to:
a)publicise extensively the United Nations Committee’s recommendations;
b)immediately press the UK Government to implement them forthwith;
c)work with the relevant UNISON regions to press devolved governments to implement those recommendations relevant to them;
d)organise a programme of action throughout UNISON by involving and co-ordinating the relevant national, regional and branch bodies to ensure the fullest involvement in both the pursuit of these rights and their application; and
e)make a national UNISON submission to the next United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights incorporating the key concerns of UNISON as a whole and the specific concerns of UNISON in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England.