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 motions
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 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 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 […]
This Conference welcomes the announcement in the Queen’s speech in December that tougher licensing of lap dancing clubs will be included in the Home Office Policing and Crime Reduction Bill. Tougher licensing will allow gender equality to be considered in licensing processes and will protect the rights of women in the industry, by placing clubs […]
As women we need to ensure that young women are aware of the benefits of paying into a pension scheme at the earliest opportunity. In 2007, research by a private bank showed that over half of women aged between 35 and 44 had made no pension provision – apparently believing that they could rely on […]
National Women’s Conference applauds the work carried out by the National Women’s Committee in relation to domestic violence. However, the current monitoring system as decreed by the Home Office does not take into account those aged under 18 who are perpetrators of domestic violence. For example as a result of the current monitoring process, a […]
Since 2006 when the Sandinista Government returned to power in Nicaragua a law prohibiting abortion was introduced. This made abortion even on medical grounds or as a consequence of rape illegal. For one hundred and thirty years Nicaraguan law allowed a woman to have an abortion when her life or health was in danger from […]
Following the fall of the Taliban government in late 2001 women in Afghanistan have in theory more freedom and equality. In reality, however, the plight they face is much different. Women in Afghanistan still face forced marriage, abuse, the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, and an eighty eight per cent illiteracy rate. Women […]
This Conference calls upon the National Women’s Committee to work with the National Young Members Committee to highlight the importance of young women becoming members of a pension scheme. As women we need to ensure that young women are aware of the benefits of paying into a pension scheme at the earliest opportunity, so as […]
We remember Thabitha Khumalo from Zimbabwe who as a guest speaker at 2006 National Delegate Conference gave an inspirational speech about the struggles for basic rights that women face in her country. Every year at National Women’s Conference motions are proposed and carried supporting our sisters overseas. In recent years, Conference has supported women of […]
Conference welcomes the closer working together of the self organised groups and young members through the Equality Liaison Committee. There are many cross cutting issues which affect women in different ways and this needs to be addressed on a joint basis. However, conference is concerned that this joint working may be the first step towards […]
Conference welcomes the changes to the representation to National Women’s Conference which enables all branches to send at least one delegate to National Women’s Conference that came into effect in 2008. However, this has disadvantaged the very small number of large branches, which emerged following changes to public services structures. Many of these branches have […]
Conference believes that a woman’s right to choose with regards to abortion is fundamental to her political, social and economic equality. One in three women will have an abortion in her lifetime and therefore even more will face the difficult decision of how to deal with an unplanned pregnancy. Anti choice proponents continue to attempt […]