Conference, a recent study commissioned by NatCen, an organisation which looks into British Social Attitudes has overwhelmingly established that racism is on the rise. While thirty per cent of Britons described themselves as having “very or a little prejudice against people of other races”, the survey also outlined that attitudes have changed since the 1980’s […]
Conference motions
This Community Conference notes the ongoing crisis in pension provision affecting our members in Community and also that community and voluntary sector employees are among the lowest paid in society. The minimum level of auto-enrolment pensions is grossly inadequate; and employers continue to dumb down pension schemes to limit any possible financial risk to themselves. […]
This conference notes: That a small number of Housing associations and other Charities in our sector are openly hostile to trade unions, carry out American style anti union practices and refuse to recognise trade unions. The right of free assembly and collective bargaining is a fundamental human right enshrined in international law. Any failure by […]
Conference reiterates our belief, set out in Motion 11 at Community Conference 2010, that volunteers play a valuable role in many areas of society, including in the community and voluntary sector and in trade unions. We agreed that “Conference believes that paid staff and volunteering roles are different, and volunteering should not be used by […]
Conference welcomes the updated “Organising for Equality: UNISON guidelines on self organisation”. In the forward to the guidance, Dave Prentis, our General Secretary states that “Self-organisation is an essential tool helping the union to identify and challenge discrimination and build equality. It can be a way for members to get involved in the union, developing […]
Conference notes with concern that many charities and third sector organisations are currently short staffed but are unwilling or unable to hire new staff members due to cost. Staffing shortages in the Community & Voluntary Sector are having a negative impact on workers lives, particularly young workers. In particular, staffing shortages can impact on: 1) […]
Conference notes the research carried out by NatCen for UNISON in late 2013 which showed the impact of austerity on services for LGBT people including those services delivered by the community and voluntary sector. It revealed devastating cuts to services but also showed that austerity has had a negative impact on job security, terms and […]
Community members within the housing and associated areas, view with concern, the impact on their jobs, pay and terms and conditions, of the ongoing roll out of ‘Welfare Reform’. It has been apparent from the introduction of the ‘bedroom tax’ that the reduction on the amount of housing benefit paid to tenants and service users, […]
Conference notes with alarm the Government’s revelation in January 2014 that it was seeking to cut £200m from the Student Opportunity Fund. Run by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). The Student Opportunity Fund is open to undergraduates and taught postgraduates and provides non-repayable grants of between £100 and £1,000 for disadvantaged students. […]
Conference notes the increasing concentration of power in the hands of a few appointed executives on bodies such as pre 92 University Court (e.g. Oxford, Cambridge, Kings etc.) and Post 92 Board of Governors (e.g. Greenwich, Hertfordshire, Sunderland etc.). The main focus of these bodies is on commercial interests (potentially at the expense of educational […]
It is over 20 years since UNISON was formed and proportionality and fair representation were enshrined in the new Rule Book for the new union. After 20 years, the question must be asked – how well have we done on achieving proportionality and fair representation? Conference acknowledges the good work to date on developing mechanisms […]
Conference notes that in May 2014, 28 member states of the European Union (EU) elected 751 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to represent their interests. These elected representatives have a 5 year term of office in which to advance any number of common policies and promote a Europe that celebrates all its diverse members […]
Conference believes that inclusive language is important in ensuring that all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) women within the women’s movement and UNISON women’s self organisation feel welcome and valued. Conference also believes that language, and our understanding of language, is constantly evolving, and that as women, including LGBT women, we should always be […]
Endometriosis and Adenomyosis are chronic and painful conditions where cells from the lining of the womb are deposited in other parts of the body instead of being lost during menstruation. These cells continue to change in size and bleed in response to a woman’s normal menstrual cycle. This can affect bowel, bladder and kidney function, […]
This Women’s Conference is concerned to learn about recent reports of abuse towards disabled women in the human trafficking industry. This is an industry where escaping is often met with even greater barriers than usual for non disabled women as accessible support systems are extremely hard to find, and their built environments and accessible information […]