Demand Change

HAITI

Conference recognises the devastating effect that the earthquake has had on the governance and infrastructure of Haiti. However, Conference is particularly concerned that within hours of the disaster overseas adoptions were being fast tracked. Whilst Conference wishes that young women and girls who have lost family and friends in Haiti are given the opportunity for […]

CAMPAIGN AGAINST CUTS

Conference notes with alarm the devastating scale of cuts in the Public Sector which has become clear as public bodies’ budgets are being finalised. Conference condemns any attempts to roll back women’s equality through attacks on funding of the women’s voluntary sector and public services which primarily affect women. Whilst national campaigns by their very […]

Haiti Earthquake Appeal

Conference notes the devastation caused by the earthquake that has struck the Caribbean Island of Haiti. Reports have revealed that over 200,000 Haitians have died, including nursing staff, volunteers and other aid workers. The Haitian government estimate that 1.5 million have been left homeless in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince and are sleeping on the streets […]

NO MORE BPA

Conference notes that in November 2009, Breast Cancer UK launched a campaign calling on the government and devolved nations to take action to end the use of controversial chemical, Bisphenol-A (commonly abbreviated to BPA), in baby bottles. Already voluntarily withdrawn from shelves in Canada and the USA, polycarbonate baby bottles made with BPA are still […]

THE SEVEN YEAR GAP

Your most probably wondering what does the title of this motion actually refer to, well, it is the present age gap of seven years, between the age of 18-25 years. Eighteen years being the upper limit that the HPV vaccination is presenting being offered in our schools to young women and twenty five years in […]

RAPE CRISIS MAINSTREAM FUNDING PROVISION

Conference applauds the National Women’s Committee on work done to date to support the work of Rape Crisis however there is still more work to be done. Conference believes that rape crisis centres are essential and believe that there should be adequate government funding for the centres to operate. For example, there is only one […]

DOMESTIC ABUSE

Conference welcomes the support of the National Women’s Committee in addressing the issue of domestic abuse but there is further work to be done. This Conference calls on the National Women’s Committee to work with Regional Women’s Committees, the NEC and Service Groups to re-focus on the failure of many employers to develop workplace policies […]

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENTS

This Conference notes that the introduction of the public sector duties represented a step change in how employers delivering public services must address inequalities. Equality impact assessments (EIAs) play a key role in the implementation of the duties and they are a legal requirement for authorities covered by specific duties. They aim to ensure that […]

WOMEN AND PENSIONS

This Conference notes with alarm the increasing and unwarranted attacks on public sector pensions. Whilst it is true to say that a growing gap between public and private sector pensions caused by the employer retreat from decent pensions in the private sector, it is wrong to conclude that the answer is to level down public […]

BLACK WOMEN AND BREAST CANCER

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the UK. More than 45,500 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year and the disease causes almost 12,000 deaths each year. Eight in ten cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women over the age of 50. Black and Asian women are significantly more […]

WOMEN UNITED AGAINST FASCISM

Conference expresses concern at the rise of the BNP and other far-right groups, such as the English Defence League, who are organising throughout the UK, claiming to be the voice of British people. Conference affirms that we will not sit back and allow far-right organisations to enter mainstream politics as has happened in some other […]

RETURNING TO WORK AFTER MATERNITY LEAVE

Conference welcomes the raft of legislation in recent years that has been introduced and refined around maternity provision for women which has benefited thousands of women and their families. However, many women choosing to return to work after having children can often find this difficult both emotionally and practically. Whilst on maternity leave, even just […]

INVESTMENT IN HARDCORE PORNOGRAPHY

This Conference is concerned at the growing body of evidence supplied by media investigation, that major corporations such as Vodaphone, BT, Sky and Amazon are benefiting in some way from the trade in hardcore pornography and that UNISON members’ pension funds may be invested in companies with an involvement in a trade which is based […]

DOMESTIC ABUSE TRAINING

This conference believes that domestic abuse training should become statutory in public sector organisations such as the Police, NHS, Local Government and Social Services and should become part of the workforce strategy. On average every week two women are killed in England and Wales by their partners or ex partners (Crime in England and Wales […]