- Conference
- 2016 National Retired Members Conference
- Date
- 3 June 2016
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
Following the rule change at National Delegate Conference 2014 Conference appreciates the inclusion of retired members at self-organised group (SOG) conferences and our involvement in this important aspect of UNISON’s structure.
However Conference is concerned that, unlike all other groups attending SOG conferences, retired members are the only group not entitled to submit motions and amendments therefore we do not have the same means of ensuring that issues of particular relevance to retired members are included on their agendas. Conference believes that this places retired members at a disadvantage to all other groups at SOG conferences.
Conference further believes that this anomaly needs to be addressed and retired members given the same rights to submit motions and amendments as all these other groups.
Conference therefore instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee to seek the views of retired women members, retired Black members, retired disabled members and retired lesbian, gay bisexual & transgender members and, subject to gaining their support, liaise with the National Executive Council and the SOG National Committees about submitting a relevant rule change to National Delegate Conference to allow these groups of retired members to have equal rights to submit motions and amendments to respective SOG conferences, and report back to Retired Members’ Conference 2017.
Conference accepts that, just as only retired members determine the content of motions and amendments submitted for debate here and full members have no say, the SOGs are entitled to similar autonomy. It follows that the only retired members to have any say about motions or amendments to be submitted for debate at each SOG conference should be the respective retired members (eg retired women members with respect to Women’s Conference). Any role for the National Retired Members’ Committee must be only to empower the respective members not to act instead of them nor to over-rule them.