Iraq

Conference notes the statements made by Robin Cook and Clare Short at the Foreign Affairs Select Committee on 17 June 2003, that reaffirmed our belief that the basis for war in Iraq was unjustified. They believed that information from the intelligence services showed that, far from being prepared for an immediate response with Weapons of […]

The Economy

Conference remains concerned that, despite the relative health of the UK economy compared to other industrialised countries, there are still enormous imbalances between the health of the private services sector and the decline of manufacturing, between regions and between the rich and the poor. There is also a vulnerability to the collapse of a debt-financed […]

Police Communications and Joint Emergency Control Rooms

Conference recognises the vital importance of effective call handling for the delivery of modern policing. As the main interface between the Service and the general public, it is essential that the Police Service has a modern, efficient and well-resourced call handling capability. This position is well-understood by all the major police stakeholders, particularly the Home […]

Fair Trade

Conference supports the movement for fairer trade with developing countries in the struggle against poverty and unjust trade terms. Conference endorses the Fairtrade standards set up by the Fairtrade Foundation. These standards guarantee that fairly traded products like tea, coffee or textiles are bought at a price which not only covers the cost of production, […]

Regional Government in England

Since 1997 UNISON has supported the principle of devolution and decentralisation applicable to English regions as well as Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and London. This union continues to believe that regional governance offers great opportunities for improving public services whilst making government more relevant and open to the local population. Conference notes the continuing contribution […]

Rise of the Far Right/Industrial Decline

Conference is appalled at the successes achieved by the British National Party (BNP) in local elections. These are based on their ability to spread lies, fear and prejudice and represent a stain on our democracy. Conference believes that this trend is part of the wider problem of the alienation of low income communities as a […]

Pensions

Conference congratulates the work of UNISON nationally, regionally and locally in highlighting the threat to our pensions. Recent developments in the pensions industry such as the closure of many final salary schemes, either completely or to new entrants, the multi-million pound mis-selling scandals, and the near collapse of longstanding financial institutions have all strengthened the […]

The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000

Conference welcomes the provisions of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 which places a positive duty on all public authorities to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and good race relations in all their functions. Furthermore, Conference welcomes the commitment to developing codes of practice for relevant public bodies and put in place […]

University Funding and Top-Up Fees

Conference notes that that the first demonstration organised in opposition to the policies of the New Labour Government was of students and other young people opposed to the introduction of tuition fees. Before the introduction of top up fees two-thirds of the population were against them as were the National Union of Students (NUS) and […]

GATS and Public Services

Conference recognises that the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) aims to expose services world wide to competition, and is a real threat to public services in the UK. While GATS does not compel governments to liberalise, or privatise, services, there will be great pressure on them to do so. GATS is an ongoing […]

Invest in Council Housing/Decent Homes

Conference believes that decent affordable housing is a fundamental right of all citizens and is particularly concerned about the lack of supply of low cost quality homes for working people and their families in the United Kingdom. Conference notes that Government cannot now meet its Decent Homes Target of bringing all council housing up to […]

Public Service Reform

Conference recognises that the recent political debate has shifted, since the spending increases announced in 2002, from a question of extra funding to one of public service reform, with growing support for different varieties of new localism. However this debate has been marked more by rhetoric than either substance or vision. There is a contrast […]

The National Health Service

Conference welcomes the intention of the Government to increase the funding of the National Health Service (NHS) in England by 7.4 per cent in real terms over five years from 2003/4, and the Government’s stated intention of bringing UK health spending in line with the European average. This funding offers the NHS the opportunity to […]

Work Related Driving Dangers

This Energy Service Group Conference welcomes the report of the independent work related road safety task group, which confirms TUC estimates of 1,000 deaths annually in work related deaths on the road. The issue of road risk is particularly relevant for employers like United Utilities that cover hundreds of miles North to South and East […]

Offshoring

This Energy Service Group Conference notes with concern that employers such as Vertex, part of United Utilities, Cap, Gemini, Ernst & Young and Thames Water are actively considering transferring work to India. Negotiators in such Branches are advised to seek assurances from their employers that this issue will not escalate and put more British workers […]