Living Wage for All

Conference is disturbed to hear, that despite the introduction of the minimum wage in 1999 by a Labour Government, some employers in the care sector both in the community and private sectors are still paying their staff a pittance. Working in a care home or looking after the most vulnerable people in our society in […]

Terms and Conditions in the Community and Voluntary Sector

Conference notes with concern the insecurity facing workers in the community and voluntary sector, many of whom are low paid women workers. Many voluntary sector organisations provide services via contracts from local government and health authorities, and cuts in public spending are inevitably impacting on the funding of these services and therefore on our members. […]

Women Against Cuts

This Conference remains opposed to all cuts in Public Services. We totally reject any employer asserting that cuts are inevitable. Kirklees Council have consistently underspent over the last 11 years, and like many Councils, could ‘save’ millions of pounds by maintaining all services ‘in house’, having a public service procurement policy, cutting private sector involvement […]

Women Voting for UKIP

UNISON women in Gateshead call upon the National Women’s Committee to target UNISON women members nationally who are going to vote, to use their vote wisely and to look at all policies of political parties who attack women’s equality across the spectrum. A main threat to women’s equality is UKIP. This political party is a […]

Marginalisation of Mental Health, the Impact on Women

Conference notes that women are more likely to be treated for a mental health problems than men. As reported by Mental Health Foundation 29% of women compared to 17% of men are treated for mental health problems. One in four women are treated for depression, compared to one in ten men. Women are also disproportionally […]

Intimate Terrorism and Coercive Control

Conference recognises that in March 2013 the UK Government widened its definition of domestic violence and abuse to include coercive control. Under the new definition controlling behaviour is described as: “a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for […]

Motion – Organising against UKIP and the far right

This conference recognises the increasing electoral threat of far right parties in the UK and notes with sadness the by-election result of Clacton which gave UKIP it’s first MP. UKIP received the highest number of votes in this year’s European elections and now has a significant number of seats in a range of district councils. […]

Harmonisation of In Work Threshold and Benefit Cap

Conference will be aware that thousand of women in work are suffering poverty, low pay, zero hour contracts and lack of job security. In 2012 there were 5.1mil working in low paid jobs, the majority women. Annual median pay now stands at £21,200, some £3,400 lower than the pre-recession peak of 2008/2009 according to the […]

Older Women and Domestic Violence

It is often assumed that domestic violence is mainly experienced by younger women, and that older women’s experiences can be put under the category of ‘elder abuse’ Older women may experience even more barriers to disclosure than younger women, and may therefore be more reluctant to report violence. As a result, despite women over the […]

Women and politics – why your vote counts

Conference notes that 2015 is the next opportunity for women to make their vote account in removing the malicious condem government from power. Conference notes that the turn out in the Scottish independence vote demonstrates that voter apathy can be overcome, and it is therefore essential that we campaign now to ensure that women vote […]