Conference recognises that discrimination continues to affect many members and groups throughout UNISON. However, Conference is concerned at the extent of discrimination faced by many women members in particular. Women have brought to our attention many worrying stories about UNISON’s failure to deal adequately or appropriately with their discrimination at branch and regional level, and […]
Conference motions
This Conference deplores the new procedure for claiming costs for dependant care, it is also dismayed over the fact that the National Women’s Committee appear to have supported the issuing of a separate form for such costs. Conference believes that this is a blatant act of discrimination towards members who claim for dependant care costs, […]
V-Day is an international movement to stop violence against women and children. It has proclaimed Valentine’s Day as V-Day until the violence stops. V-Day raises funds and awareness for anti-violence charities throughout the world through its benefit performances of the Vagina Monologues, Eve Ensler’s hilarious eye-opening tour of the last frontier, the forbidden zone at […]
Conference is concerned about the promotion of ever more restrictive and narrowly defined images of girls and women together with similarly narrow definitions of femininity in what Anna Ford so aptly dubbed body fascism, and the relationship between this and the increase in anorexia and bulimia in girls and young women. This is most notably […]
This Conference notes with concern the number of reserved seats vacant at regional and national level. These reserved seats are restricted to women members earning less than a basic hourly rate of £5.90 (January 2001) to be uprated annually by the increase in median earnings as defined by the New Earnings Survey. These seats are […]
These days menstruation can start from as early as 11 years and last well until the mid-fifties. For most women menstruation is natural and is the process which we must endure in order to keep humanity alive ensuring civilisation continues. Yet the question has to be asked “If it is the fundamental role of women […]
Conference deplores the growing evidence of widespread islamaphobia in the UK and elsewhere. Conference notes that part of this distorted world view is the portrayal of Muslim women as passive victims. This narrow stereotype denies the diversity of Muslim women and ignores the long tradition of Muslim women’s organisation. Conference welcomes the example of the […]
Conference deplores the: 1)Widespread persecution of women on grounds of gender, gender identity and sexual orientation. 2)Criminalisation and official mistreatment of lesbian, bisexual and transgender (lbt) women in many countries. 3)United Kingdom Government’s failure to take this up with these countries. 4)Restrictive definitions of ‘family’ under immigration and asylum law. 5)Demonising and stigmatising of immigrants […]
Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue similar to the womb lining (endometrium) is found outside the uterus. It is estimated that 10% of women of childbearing age have endometriosis, irrespective of age or race. Nobody knows how it is caused, but for those who suffer from the condition symptoms can include: 1)Pelvic pain; 2)Painful […]
This Conference welcomes government measures to increase the incomes of working families. This Conference also welcomes the National Guide produced in conjunction with the Daycare Trust, the national childcare charity for UNISON members to find out about the Working Families Tax Credit scheme. This Conference calls upon the National Women’s Committee to develop easy to […]
The Pill has made it possible for women to decide when and how many children they will give birth to – something which has revolutionised women’s lives and is an important issue in women’s rights. Taking the Contraceptive Pill at any stage in a woman’s life increases the chance of breast cancer according to new […]
This Conference is alarmed at the rapid increase of car jacking incidents taking place, often against women drivers. Many women are lone workers, collecting pensions and shopping for the elderly and housebound. This puts them at greater risk. Also, many women lead extremely busy lives, working, shopping and ferrying children around, so it’s no wonder […]
Statistics show that the majority of carers are women. The results of The General Household Survey 1995 (completed five yearly), the latest published in 1998 gave the following statistics: 1)One adult in 8 is a carer and one in 6 households (16%) contains a carer; 2)There are 5.7 million carers overall in Great Britain; 3)1.7 […]
Conference is pleased to see that women still comprise two thirds of the membership of UNISON and that women continue to be recruited into the union in ever increasing numbers. Conference is concerned that every support should be given to women to allow them to take an active role within the union as stewards and […]
There has been a lot of publicity recently concerning the safety of hormone replacement therapy. This will have caused great concern to many women who use hormone replacement therapy and general confusion about the benefits/dangers of the long term use. This Conference instructs the National Women’s Committee to produce a publication covering hormone replacement therapy […]