Conference notes the importance of our union’s conferences, both in their democratic policy making role and also for the way they inform and inspire activists to return, re-energised, to their local union work. Conference notes with regret that only a minority of Energy branches send delegates to the annual UNISON lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender […]
Conference motions
Conference notes with concern that many employers have introduced draconian measures to reduce rates of sickness absence. These measures often seek to diminish the status of GP’s certificates in favour of assessments by company appointed private Occupational Health practitioners. They also attempt to marginalise existing collective agreements of sickness absence and often make no distinction […]
Conference recognises that many members employed by Energy Companies are suffering from the effects of the current international financial crisis. Although companies continue to report healthy profits, some have implemented cost savings leading to job losses and plans to invest in new greener energy infrastructure have been subjected to further reviews. Conference believes that both […]
Conference Notes: i)The economic crisis which has spread rapidly across the globe, forcing thousands of businesses into bankruptcy and millions of workers into unemployment and poverty; ii)The hundreds of billions of pounds of public money which has been spent by governments across the world trying to prop up the world financial system in order to […]
Conference reiterates its long held belief that privatisation of energy companies and liberalisation of the energy market have not worked in the long term interests of consumers, the wider community or the employees. An unacceptable number of people are falling into ‘fuel poverty’ as energy bills remain too high and incomes fall. Conference regrets that […]
Conference notes that on 27 December 2008 Israel launched devastating air raids on the Gaza Strip, killing more than 300 people in the first day, one of the deadliest days for Gaza residents since Israeli occupation began 41 years ago. In total, more than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed over the past 20 days of […]
This Conference notes the reporting of John Cruddas’ Early Day motion on the BNP’s “Racism Cuts Both ways” on the Lancaster Unity website on 9th January 2009 The Early Day Motion, signed by Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Plaid Cymru MPs, was accompanied by a letter to the Home Secretary and the Attorney General demanding […]
Conference condemns the initiative of the British National Party who launched a campaign for “White History Month” in November 2008. Conference believes that this new development highlights the need for UNISON to continue to campaign against the BNP and is therefore concerned to discover that motions passed at National Black Members Conference in 2008 have […]
Conference recognises the value of Fair-trade in getting a better deal for poor people from trade. Conference welcomes: The fact that the number of producer organisations in developing countries now selling into UK markets has grown to more than 350; The Government to encourage Fair-trade in all of its Departments which includes all the local […]
Conference notes that in 2007 the National Autistic Society (NAS) published its report containing the largest ever survey conducted into autism and education in the UK. The report highlighted the lack of provision and training for teachers dealing with autism in general, including families struggling to access support for their children. This was consistently worse […]
Conference notes the right to seek asylum is an internationally agreed human right under the Refugee Convention of 1951, which Britain signed after the Second World War, promising to provide sanctuary to those fleeing political and other forms of persecution. Conference further notes that many asylum seekers in Britain are incorrectly labelled “economic migrants” or […]
Conference notes the continuing and pervasive nature of racism experienced by Black members in workplaces across Britain. Conference further notes the abundant evidence that has been generated as a result of monitoring under the Race Relations Amendment Act (2000) to show that Black people continue to be under-represented in the workplace, and that this gets […]
Conference believes that the best tool to recruit Black members into UNISON is by highlighting our success for individual members and collectively at a local, regional and national level. Conference further believes that more Black activists must take up active roles within UNISON at all levels as this will in turn also promote and encourage […]
Conference recognises that Black members face distinct challenges in becoming active within UNISON structures. Many Black members who join UNISON want to become more involved but there are few signposts to show them the way. Conference supports UNISON’s Fair Representation Policy as an important principle but believes this has not generated a significant increase in […]
Conference notes the outcome of the judicial review gained by Southall Black Sisters into Ealing Council’s decision to withdraw their funding. The finding being that the Council had failed to do a proper assessment of the potential impact of such a move. The Council’s decision was in part based on Government promoted principle that single […]