ANALOGUE TO DIGITAL TV SWITCHOVER

The current proposals by the government and broadcasting agencies will see the ending of all analogue broadcasting in this country between 2006 and 2010 – digital TV will be imposed upon the whole population by 2012 at the latest. There is considerable concern that this may leave many elderly retired persons either with poor services […]

PENSIONS

Conference considers that the present cost of utilities – electricity, gas and water charges, are disproportionate for pensioners whose income is limited. Conference believes that the best way to alleviate the effect of these charges upon pensioners is to fully restore the value of the state pension and the restoration of the earnings link to […]

Campaign Against Government Increases for Life Long Learning Charge

Conference notes the increases in charges to attend classes for Lifelong Learning being proposed by the government. This will affect people on low pay and fixed incomes, especially pensioners. Any reduction in class attendance will result in class closures to the detriment of the students who attend for both academic, cultural and social stimulus. There […]

Patients’ Forums

Conference will be aware that community health councils have been replaced with various types of patients forums designed to give people a say in the way in which their local hospital provides services. But too often the voice of older people is not heard and their views and needs not taken into account adequately. Therefore […]

Retired Members’ Objectives for Labour Link

Following the election of a Labour government for a third term, Conference requests that the National Retired Members’ Committee work with UNISON Labour Link as appropriate to promote the following objectives: 1)restoration of the link between pensions and earnings; 2)personal care to be included in long term care of the elderly; 3)free concessionary travel for […]

Charter for Public Transport

UNISON retired members have long recognised the need for affordable and efficient public transport for older people. Conference welcomes the launch of UNISON’s charter for public transport. It stresses the need to re-regulate services to produce improvements and highlights the failure of privatisation with bus fares rising faster than inflation and faster than motoring costs. […]

Meals on Wheels Changes

Conference notes with regret that some councils/social services are to stop daily deliveries of meals on wheels to senior citizens and vulnerable members of our communities. The service is to be replaced by a weekly delivery of frozen food packs. It is also proposed that anyone who does not have a microwave oven or freezer […]

Police Federation Membership Expansion

Conference notes with extreme concern, the announcement at Police Federation Conference 2005 that the Federation has set up a working party to examine pros and cons of taking police staff, with police powers into membership. This could potentially lead to the Federation seeking to recruit PCSOs, detention officers investigating officers and other police staff accredited […]

Budget Cuts

Conference notes there has been a political decision that there shall not be any reduction in Police Officer numbers. Consequently, under the force wide efficiency and budget savings exercise, Forces are redeploying Police Officers into Police Staff posts to avoid any reduction in Police Officer numbers. This means that Police Staff are carrying the brunt […]

PCSOs

Conference welcomes the Government’s announcement that the Service will employ 25,000 Police Community Support Officers by 2008. In so doing, Conference acknowledges that this major increase in the Police Staff establishment will present both opportunities and challenges for the Police Staff Service Group. The opportunities include the potential for a massive increase in membership and […]

Dedicated Care for Patients and Elderly or Have a Disability

Conference asks the National Executive Council to fight for the following changes to the National Health Service to ensure the comfort and care of elderly and disabled patients: An extra dedicated member of staff will be made available to all elderly and disabled patients when they are admitted to hospital. This member of staff will […]

Identity Cards

The government has admitted that the introduction of compulsory identity cards and the establishment of a National Identity Register will not in itself overcome international terrorism. Likewise, it has been admitted that benefit fraud is only a tiny part of the problem in the benefit system. Given the cost of introducing the scheme and the […]

Protect Our Pensions

This Conference notes that the Police Staff Service Group represents around 32,000 members. The vast majority of whom are members of the Local Government Pension Scheme. Conference is alarmed at Government Proposals to significantly weaken our pension provision. Furthermore, we are deeply concerned that as public sector workers we could be denied the right to […]

Protecting Our Members From False Allegations

UNISON has fought for years for equality in all areas. We have had some successes, including some excellent employment laws. However, as many lesbian, gay and bisexual people are aware, these laws can sometimes be used against us and when they are, there is very little in the way of information and support. There are […]

Funding of Police Forces

Conference is concerned over the inadequate funding by the Government of Police Forces in the UK. Forces are facing tight budgetary constraints with the introduction of new initiatives emanating from Police Reform, most only having time-limited resources to start the schemes and then leaving individual Forces to find funding for the future. With about 85% […]