ACCESS OF CONFERENCE VENUES

This Conference requests the National Disabled Members Committee to liaise with the Conference department to ensure that hotels are asked to comply with their DDA Goods, services, and facilities duties and provide an access audit at no cost to the union. We further request that audited conference venues and recommended hotels are circulated with the […]

TRANSPORT BY TAXI

Transport by taxi is a lifeline to many of our members who require the convenience and necessity of this form of getting from A to B. However, on numerous occasions this aspect of travel is marred by the attitude and behaviour of the driver particularly where drivers refuse to allow working dogs to accompany disabled […]

MOBILE TYPETALK

Typetalk is a requirement for many of our deaf/hearing impaired and speech impaired members, as it gives them the opportunity to have more indepth and professional phone discussions with colleagues that texting on mobile phones does not. Typetalk is a service operated by RNID through a BT landline involving a Minicom user, a standard phone […]

PROMOTING AWARENESS OF DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACT (DDA) IN THE WORKPLACE

In recent years disabled people have benefited from changes in law, which has meant – in some instances – that employment has been easier to obtain and maintain, because of the requirement to make reasonable adjustments. However, we are concerned that due to a lack of appropriate training information and support, the Disability Discrimination Act, […]

BUILDING REGULATIONS AND DISABLED ACCESS

Part M of Schedule 1 of The Building Regulations 1991 as amended by the Building Regulations (Amendment) Regulation 1998 deals with access and facilities for disabled people. Conference notes that Section M is limited to: a)Reasonable provision for disabled people to gain access to and to use the building b)Reasonable provision of sanitary facilities in […]

UNISON EQUALITY DUTY – TRAINING FOR BRANCH ACTIVISTS

Conference welcomes the UNISON Equality Duty, because equality for members is at the heart of what we do. Conference believes that the UNISON Equality Duty cannot be fully effective without the appropriate training being made available for all branch activists and all other interested UNISON members. Conference believes that training is a valuable tool for […]

AGENCY WORKERS

This conference applauds the negotiations that UNISON has been involved in through the TUC to secure employment protection for agency workers who are employed for 12 weeks with the same employer. However, we are concerned that disabled agency workers may face particular disadvantage: Agencies may perpetuate institutional disability discrimination by not offering temporary positions for […]

MOONCUPS – GREETING OUR PERIODS

Conference notes the damage caused to the environment by non biodegradable sanitary products i.e. Tampons and Sanitary Pads. These products end up in landfill and all to often our oceans and watercourses. There is a simple solution to this problem – Mooncups. The Mooncup is a reusable menstrual cup around two inches long and made […]

STANDING ORDERS FOR NATIONAL WOMEN’S CONFERENCE

From title ‘Standing Orders for National Women’s Conference’ Delete all and replace with: 1.APPLICATION OF STANDING ORDERS 1.1These Standing Orders shall apply to all meetings of the National Women’s Conference. 2.STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE 2.1The members of the Standing Orders Committee shall hold office from the end of one National Women’s Conference until the end of […]

THE CRISIS IN RAPE CRISIS

Conference is concerned at the lack of funding for women’s sector organisations which has resulted in the closure of much needed Rape Crisis centres. In 2007 only 32 Rape Crisis centres remained in England and Wales, compared to 84 in 1985, and in July 2007 it was estimated that half of these would be closed […]

TIME OFF FOR MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS

This conference notes that women are predominantly responsible for ensuring their children attend medical appointments such as post-natal development clinics, child assessment clinics, baby clinics, medical and dental appointments. This means that women have to take time out of a working day to accompany them, often having to use annual leave, time off in lieu […]

TOWARDS A SUFFICIENT PENSION FOR ALL WOMEN

This conference recognises that it is a long established fact that women with caring responsibilities may suffer a detriment when they retire because of a reduction in pension. For many years, women’s choice has been between having a career and a comfortable retirement or raising their own children and being poor in retirement. Some women […]

THE DISCRIMINATION LAW REVIEW AND THE GENDER EQUALITY DUTY

This Conference notes that the Government is committed to introducing a Single Equality Act in this Parliament. The Government launched the Discrimination Law Review in February 2005 with the task of undertaking a comprehensive review of discrimination legislation, making recommendations that would simplify and modernise the law and ensuring better enforcement and compliance. Conference supports […]

The Bicentenary of the Transatlantic “Slave Trade” Legacy

Conference will be aware that 2007 was the year of commemorating the beginning of the end of enslavement of Afrikan people. There was a wide range of remembrance events taking place in the UK. Many, however, missed the fact that it was only the transatlantic trade that ended 200 years ago. This probably increased the […]

Use of Disciplinary Procedure Against Black Staff

This National Black Members’ Conference notes that there is a disproportionate amount of Black members and black UNISON activists who are subject to disciplinary procedures and victimisations within the workplace. This leads to the question of whether disciplinary procedures are being applied fairly and equally to all staff. A consequence of this is that the […]