Conference they say a week in politics is a long time but over the last week, not mention month, the government has been in total chaos and made the UK a laughing stock. But for disabled people and our Disabled Members none of this is funny. It seemed that every time the now former Prime […]
Conference motions
Conference notes that pay gaps affect large swathes of our membership regardless of service group or self organised structures within UNISON. Pay gaps measure the average hourly pay of a group of people with a ‘protected characteristic,’ such as women or Black workers, compared to the average hourly pay for men or white workers for […]
Conference notes the news article published in the Guardian newspaper on the 13th of June 2022 which stated that according to the Office for National Statistics, as of 1st of May an estimated 2 million people in the UK reported having Long Covid, as the condition is known. Conferences notes that Unison Black disabled members […]
Conference notes that the British Sign Language (BSL) Bill, a Private Member’s Bill introduced by Labour’s Rosie Cooper MP in 2021, was passed by both the House of Commons and the Lords earlier this year before passing into law following Royal Assent. The BSL Act will recognise BSL as a language of England, Wales and […]
Conference is concerned about the widening disability pay gap and the impact on our Disabled Members. The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that on average disabled people are paid almost 14% less than non-disabled people. Further analysis of the data shows that the type of disability also impacts on the […]
Conference applauds UNISON’s National Delegate Conference [NDC], which recently unequivocally re-asserted the union’s commitment to Fair Representation. Rule D5.2 of the UNISON Rulebook observes that self-organisation assists the union: Promote the union’s equalities and bargaining agenda Defend jobs, terms and conditions and services Build its density and have a strong and dynamic presence in the […]
Conference recognises the huge efforts made right across our region to protect and safeguard our members during the Covid-19 pandemic – this mobilisation was particularly evident when as a region we collectively demanded sufficient protections for our members in the event they were off work due to any Covid-19 related absence. This was no more […]
Conference notes the £500 Recognition Payment Campaign launched by UNISON Community and Voluntary Sector Branch NI which called for all Community Sector frontline workers to be recognised for their heroic efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic, just like their counterparts working in the NHS. The campaign achieved the desired recognition for a select few frontline worker’s, […]
Conference welcomes the initiatives taken to date by the Community Service Group to advance the rights of disabled members in the workplace. Conference notes that the Covid-19 pandemic has revealed the structural inequality disabled people face but has also created the opportunity to confront discrimination and inequality in our workplaces in a way that allows […]
Conference is concerned that 60% of all people who have died from COVID were disabled and nearly half a million people have had long COVID for over a year. Long COVID can be a debilitating condition impacting on carrying out daily activities including duties at work. Conference notes that our members working in the community […]
The toxic debate ignited by the United Kingdom government’s consultation on reforming the Gender Recognition Act underlined the importance of our union, including branches in the Community Service Group, supporting and representing our trans members effectively. Attacks on trans people escalated further in 2021. Groups trying to roll back the rights of trans people have […]
Conference notes the Tory government, has broken manifesto pledges by raising National Insurance contributions and suspending the ‘triple lock’ on pension increases. On 7th September 2021, it published ‘Build Back Better: Our plan for health and social care’ announcing an impending White Paper on the future provision of adult social care in England. Conference acknowledges […]
In 2020 the Scottish Government commissioned Derek Feely to review adult social care services in Scotland. Following on from Feely’s report the Scottish Government published plans for the introduction of a National Care Service (NCS) in autumn 2021 but widened this out to adult and children’s social work and social care, including: alcohol and drug […]
The pandemic has put in sharp focus the value and importance of care work, the majority of which, paid and unpaid, is still undertaken by women. However, conference notes that the value and importance of care work is not reflected in the pay and working conditions of care workers. Jobs traditionally done by women are […]
Conference notes the adoption of motion 72 “Supporting Our Branches: The Branch Resource Review” at 2021 Special Delegate Conference. Conference further notes and endorses the principles contained in Branch Resource Review Proposal 12: Organising School. Conference believes that the training, education and development of Community members is pivotal to ensuring that UNISON’s equality and organising […]