RETIRED MEMBERS – A VALUABLE RESOURCE

Conference notes that under National Rule C.2.6.3 retired members are excluded from holding office within a branch, other than within the retired members’ organisation. When branch officers retire, at present, their “stewardship” retires with them. Many retired members have a wealth of information and experience and, in this age when people are living longer, branches […]

CARE IN THE HOME

Conference deplores the continued use of the 15 minute slots used by social care providers and others who provide care in the home for elderly and vulnerable people. Conference notes the UNISON report, Suffering Alone at Home, issued as part of the Save Care Now Campaign in January 2016 which included the result of a […]

A LIVING PENSION

Conference notes that many older people are living well below the poverty level, which at present is £178 per week. The UK State Pension is rated as one of the worst in Europe. Pensions are not benefits but are in fact deferred wages from previous National Insurance payments and deductions from work and taxable income. […]

END OF LIFE WITH DIGNITY

Conference notes that retired people in later life face challenges not previously encountered due to longer life expectancy enabled by medical advances. The Dignified Code produced by National Pensioners Convention calls for individuals to have freedom and choice for personal wishes to be implemented when individuals are no longer able to express themselves. Conference recognises […]

WALKING FOR PENSIONERS

It is widely recognised that walking is an activity that has great health benefits for pensioners. It is free, available to everyone and can be a pleasant social recreation. Medical advice is that walking can improve balance, strengthen muscles and reduce the risk of falls. Living Streets is the national charity that stands up for […]

DON’T CUT CARE

Day to day tasks that many of us take for granted – like getting dressed, using the toilet, washing, making a meal, or getting out to the shops – can be almost impossible for many of our members without help. Older people should be able to live well, not just survive and the right care […]

FIGHT AGAINST THE ABOLITION OF ATTENDANCE ALLOWANCE

Conference will doubtless be aware of the proposals by the government to devolve Attendance Allowance (AA) to local authorities. This would shift the responsibility for welfare policy from central to local government, representing one of the biggest shifts of resources within the welfare state for 25 years. At present AA is paid to 1.5 million […]

RETIRED MEMBERS AT SOG CONFERENCES

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 […]

EQUAL RIGHTS OVER INHERITANCE

Conference notes that in a recent survey, 51% of the population prefer to remain living together in long-term relationships without feeling the need to go through a ceremony of marriage. If UNISON members reflect society, then this would mean over half a million members, including retired members, will find themselves in this position. There is […]

HOUSING FOR OLDER PEOPLE

Conference notes that according to a report published by the Building Research Establishment “Homes and Ageing in England” more than 2 million older people live in homes that fail to meet the Decent Homes Standard, with 1.3 million in homes with a serious hazard resulting in additional and unnecessary costs to the NHS, particularly from […]

FRAUD AGAINST OLDER PEOPLE

We have taken this heading from the title of an evidence review commissioned by Age UK, and published in April 2015. The review is seen as a way of bringing attention to this problem at a time of increasing risk and vulnerability. It is suggested that, among other things, the recent reforms to private pensions […]

CAMPAIGNING AGAINST LOW & LOWER PAY.

UNISON remains committed to gender equality within all our pay structures and we commend the highly successful on-going campaign financed and delivered by our organisation to achieve this end. At the same time low pay and lower pay appears to have been largely ignored by UNISON as a priority of our members and most development […]

Mental Ill- Health, Mental Health Related Illnesses and Awareness Monitoring.

The problems of mental ill-health and mental health related illnesses are some of the biggest difficulties facing our members at work today. When jobs are under threat, pay packets are being frozen and workloads are increasing, the mental health of employees is always likely to be affected. Over the last two decades, we have all […]

Negotiating workplace domestic abuse policies

Conference notes that the majority of victims of the most severe forms of domestic abuse – and therefore those who are most affected – are women. In the energy service group women account for around 75% of the membership, and this is therefore an issue which has a significant impact on our members in the […]

Schools Funding

This Conference notes: 1)The proposal included in the Comprehensive Spending Review to create a single national funding formula for schools in England; 2)That this could cut funding for schools in cities and metropolitan areas in particular by as much as 20%; 3)Support staff, who make up 1 in 3 of workers organised within the local […]