UNISON remains committed to and will continue to fight for public services delivered by workers directly employed on terms and conditions that have been collectively bargained by democratically accountable public bodies. Nevertheless, Conference recognises that more and more public service workers are employed by the private sector and the community and voluntary sector. Often working: […]
Conference motions
Conference recalls that in 2010, the United Kingdom (UK) Coalition Government pledged: ‘We will stop the deportation of asylum seekers who have had to leave particular countries because of their sexual orientation’. David Cameron promised that: “Those Africans seeking asylum on the basis of sexual orientation and at real risk of persecution in their home […]
Conference reiterates its belief that our members deserve fair pay, equal pay and that no member should earn less than the Living Wage. However we note that living standards for working people have now suffered the greatest fall since the Victorian era; wages are stagnant across the economy yet the price of essentials continues to […]
Male Violence against Women (26 26.1, 30, 31) Conference welcomes the decision by UNISON National Delegate Conference 2013, in passing Motion 8, to encourage women’s activism in our trade union. We recognise that this particular effort is necessary because, in a sexist society, women face particular obstacles to participation in all areas of life, including […]
Conference notes that employers have increasingly been turning to zero hour contracts, as part of the general attack on staff terms and conditions that has accompanied the intensification of privatisation and cuts to funding across the public services. Zero hour contracts are where an individual is not guaranteed work and is paid only for the […]
Conference notes that many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) housing problems are related to sexual orientation or gender identity. Increasingly, more LGBT people are having to rent their homes from a private landlord, because of the lack of council houses, social rented accommodation and other affordable housing, or the housing and local allocations policies […]
Conference notes that: 1) Since 2010 the government has imposed a £2.6 billion reduction in social care funding which has had a devastating impact on home care services; 2) As local authority’s budgets have been squeezed they have used competitive tendering to drive down the costs and standards of home care; 3) A recent UNISON […]
As the trade union with the highest density of women members it is disturbing that so few women are active in their branches or across the union at regional and national level. Self organization should be at the heart of our union and we must ensure that women have the opportunity to be involved from […]
Conference notes that affordable child care was one of the main issues raised by the young women members’ caucus at national young members weekend 2013. Conference believes that affordable child care is essential if parents and those with parenting responsibilities, and in particular women, are to be effectively enabled to have access to full working […]
Conference notes that social work is a profession dominated by women. Social work is a gendered activity, in terms of both its workforce and client group and it is well documented that more women than men enter this area of work (‘Gender at Work: Characteristics of ‘Failing’ Social Work Students’. Sheila Furness. Division of Social […]
In light of the recent United Nations evidence on the growing prevalence and impact of violence against women here and throughout the world, Council expresses extreme regret that UNISON NDC Conference 2013 defeated an amendment calling for women to be assumed to be telling the truth when they report abuse. Conference calls on the National […]
Conference recalls the 2012 Women’s conference resolution “Our tradition is equality and human rights”, which expressed concern that the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council had adopted a Russian resolution linking human rights to ‘traditional values’. It recognised that Russia was attempting to block progress on women’s rights and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) […]
Conference notes that Bisexual Visibility Day has been marked on the 23rd September since 1999. Bisexual Visibility Day is a day in which the bisexual community, their friends and supporters recognise and celebrate bisexuality, but the day is not acknowledged by many. Quite often bisexual women face biphobia not only from heterosexuals, but from the […]
Lulled by the soft sell and the hidden persuader, the average woman is seldom aware of the deadly materials with which she is surrounding herself, indeed she may not realise she is using them at all. This is a quote by Rachel Carson in 1962 and this still applies today, some 50 years later. Women […]
This Conference is concerned at the growing number of zero hour contracts that are being forced onto a desperate workforce. Conference believes that a disproportionate number of women in public services are increasingly being subjected to these types of contracts. The Coalition Government and private sector claim that zero hour contracts offer both the employer […]