Home Care Inspections

The National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) is a new, independent public body set up under the Care Standards Act 2000, to regulate social care and private and voluntary health care services. From 1 April 2002 the NCSC took responsibility for the registration and inspection of services including care homes, replacing the previous system of inspection […]

Widows’ Pension Rights

Conference urges the National Executive Council to take every possible action, including under the Human Rights Act 1998 if appropriate, to remedy the injustices, inequalities and discrimination contained in the Local Government Pensions Scheme Regulations in relation to members’ provision for widows and widowers of post-retirement marriages.

Council Tax/Pension Increase

Conference urges the National Retired Members’ Committee to use its best endeavours to obtain the support of the National Executive Council in establishing a fair and equitable balance between annual pension increases and annual council tax increases by way of appropriate rebate.

Conference Attendance Quotas

Conference instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee to establish a fair quota system relating to branch members attending National Retired Members conference. Their proposals to be submitted to the 2004 National Retired Members Conference.

The Economy

Conference remains concerned that, despite the relative health of the UK economy compared to other industrialised countries, there are still enormous imbalances between the health of the private services sector and the decline of manufacturing, between regions and between the rich and the poor. There is also a vulnerability to the collapse of a debt-financed […]

Safety on Pavements, Footpaths and Pedestrian Areas

Conference requests the National Executive Council to seek all means to implement the present law relating to motorised vehicles and cycles and anything that obstructs the use of pavements, walkways, pedestrian areas and verges as this endangers the physical security of legitimate users with specific reference to senior citizens.

Cost of Non-Residential Care

Conference wishes to express its concern that local authorities across the country are raising the cost of non-residential personal or nursing care to those most vulnerable who rely on these important services. Conference calls on the National Retired Members’ Committee to ask the National Executive Council to mount a campaign under the “Right to Care” […]

Health and Safety

Conference condemns the UK Government for not having met a number of commitments made in respect of health and safety legislation and demands action now. Having consulted broadly in 1999, and before, on what actions would secure safer and healthier workplaces, the Government’s Revitalising Health and Safety initiative has derailed and needs revitalising itself. Conference […]

Tackling Racism, Promoting Equality

Conference believes that the politics of the fascists pose a serious threat to our democratic values. The incitement to racism and racial violence by the British National Party (BNP) has alarmed the vast majority of people who are not racist. It is essential to continue to oppose all attempts to use the politics of racial […]

Political Fund Review

Conference approves the recommendations contained in the National Executive Council’s report on the Political Fund Review: 1)the current political fund arrangements offering choice between the General Political Fund (GPF) and the Affiliated Political Fund (APF) should be retained. Alternatives, which remove this choice or introduce a third fund, should be rejected. 2)a new set of […]

Branch, Steward and Workplace Organisation

Conference notes and welcomes the progress made in implementing the organising agenda into mainstream UNISON activity whilst recognising, as with any medium term objective, much remains to be achieved. Conference further notes the tangible benefits of this policy include: 1)contributing to the annual increase in membership over the past four years; 2)helping to substantially boost […]

Young Workers Better Off in UNISON

Conference believes that young workers join a trade union for the same reason as every other worker, regardless of age, for the work-based benefits membership brings. For too long sections of the trade union movement have stuck to the outdated view that a whole generation of workers is ideologically opposed to joining a union. This […]

Privatisation

The UK Government has committed to a course of privatisation of public services and the Treasury has also exerted pressure on devolved governments to follow suit. As a consequence the future of public services, our members who deliver them and the public who need them is in serious jeopardy. Conference notes that UNISON has been […]

Right to Care Campaign

In November 2001, UNISON, with a number of other organisations, launched the Right to Care Campaign. The aims of the Campaign are as follows: 1)that the Government must introduce personal and nursing care that is free at the point of use and funded from general taxation; 2)that this care should be the entitlement of everyone, […]

Fair Pensions for All

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 […]