Black members are still facing an uphill battle in the workplace; they encounter barriers in career progression, daily oppression from organisations’ institutional racist cultures and are treated differently when raising grievances against employers which lead to the victimisation against many black members. There is a common theme that for too long employers have been able […]
Conference motions
Conference notes with alarm that the support for the far right continues to grow and the British National Party (BNP) has increased its vote significantly in council elections, including Stoke-on-Trent, and the London Assembly over the past year and there is the very real threat one or more BNP candidates will be elected to the […]
Conference notes that in the period since National Delegate Conference 2008 there have been significant developments in relation to climate change policy that will have far reaching consequences for the way in which we live our lives, the world of work and the public services. These include: 1)The passing into law of new climate change […]
Fuel poverty is generally defined as when an individual or household spends at least 10% of their disposable income on fuel. Conference notes that The Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000 and the government’s Fuel Poverty Strategy require the government to end fuel poverty for vulnerable people by 2010 and to end fuel poverty […]
Conference reiterates its belief that only when a sovereign, independent, democratic, contiguous and viable Palestine state is created, living side by side with a secure Israel will there be chance for peace and stability in the Middle East. Conference strongly believes that justice for the Palestinian people is essential to any solution to the existing […]
As the economic crisis deepens, workers, their families and communities face unprecedented challenges. Hundreds of thousands of jobs will be lost, bringing unemployment to 3.1m based on International Labour Organisation (ILO) method of calculation. 75,000 home repossessions are expected in 2009, on top of 45,000 in 2008 Conference notes that for young members this will […]
In times of economic recession the most vulnerable in society are at greatest risk. As the economic crisis deepens and its long term nature becomes evident there is the very real threat that inequality widens, the equalities agenda is sidelined and that women, Black and Minority Ethnic (BME), young workers, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) […]
Conference notes the enormous pressures on local authorities, and other public bodies, to make efficiency savings and their current tight financial predicament. Conference is concerned that some authorities are responding to this situation by knee-jerk privatisation to cut costs. This is counter-productive not only because it cuts public services at the time when they are […]
Conference notes that a reduction in public receipts, spending cuts and associated demands for “efficiency” savings, is resulting in redundancies and recruitment freezes across our public services. This is especially damaging during an economic recession resulting in rising job losses in the private sector and increasing demands placed upon public services. Public service workers are […]
Conference notes that the commodification of housing has led to the present housing crisis. Conference believes in a decent home as the building block for a decent life, enabling us to: 1)Bring up children in a secure and stable environment, providing life chances and educational opportunities; 2)Provide shelter, warmth, space and privacy as the pre-requisite […]
Conference recognises that just as negotiations on the national and Scottish Local Government Pensions Scheme (LGPS) draw to a close, and after NHS Colleagues have settled on their pension scheme, our pensions are again under attack. Comments from Tory politicians like, “pensions apartheid” and “gilt edged” and Liberal Democrat statements that our pensions are “unsustainable […]
Conference recognises that many public service employers have now moved their staff on to the Approved Mileage Allowance (AMAP). This is a payment of 40p a mile for staff who use their own car for work. In some employers a buy out has been negotiated but in others it has been imposed. Many employers, particularly […]
Conference notes that The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) is a new public body which is being created with the intention of preventing unsuitable people from working with children and vulnerable adults. From October 2009, individuals working with vulnerable adults or children will be required to register with the ISA. This will affect over 11 million […]
Conference welcomes the figures on membership growth in 2008. This growth reflects continuing regional and branch commitment to organising and recruitment. Conference congratulates those branches that have engaged in successful organising campaigns and notes that organising must remain central to the work of UNISON. Conference believes that strong trade union membership is even more important […]
Everywhere publicly provided care essential for older people in our society is under attack. UNISON has already demonstrated the extent to which the mass transfers to the private and voluntary sectors have taken place. We have also demonstrated subsequent reductions in the quality of care. In a society with an ageing population with increased social […]