Conference notes with concern that constraints on branch finances are leading to some women not being encouraged or able to participate in women’s self-organised group activities. Conference notes with concern that financial constraints and controls at branch and regional level may be negatively impinging on women’s activism and as a consequence reducing the opportunities to […]
Conference motions
Conference notes that across the UK women remain massively underrepresented in the political and decision making processes that influence our lives, especially working class women. Conference further notes that women currently make up: o 29% of MP’s in the English Parliament o 40% of Welsh Assembly members o 35% of Scottish Parliament members o 19% […]
Conference is concerned at an apparently growing trend for universities to employ students in roles which are traditionally occupied by low paid women workers – jobs in cleaning, catering and clerical work. Conference is aware that many students are forced to work to support themselves and supplement their student loans. However, these jobs are often […]
UNISON is a union of over 1 million women members. Due to the government’s austerity measures over the last 5 years many of these will have seen their standard of living fall and many will be living in poverty. Researchers show that by moving from a minimum wage to a living wage 4.8 million women […]
Conference notes that Group B Strep is a potentially fatal infection for newborn babies. In fact, it is recorded as the biggest killer of newborns and that it colonises in the vagina of 22% of all women. Because the women are carriers rather than being infected by the bacteria there are no symptoms therefore this […]
From the rise in domestic violence, to increased homelessness, benefit sanctions which have driven people with long term conditions into desperation and disabled women labelled as scroungers and vulnerable on the streets and in their homes – Austerity is a killing machine. Job losses and increased poverty leads to violent reactions that impact women and […]
There is a definite lack of awareness within the workplace of Employer’s Policy and Procedures with regard to Flexible working. Under provisions set out in the “Children and Families Act 2014”, women have a statutory right to ask their employers for a change to their contractual terms and conditions of employment to work flexibly providing […]
Conference notes with growing concern the funding crisis within services that support women who have experienced rape and sexual violence. In August 2015 it was reported that nationally none of the 46 Rape crisis organisations in England and Wales had secure funding beyond March 2016 despite a 50% increase in the number of survivors receiving […]
Conference recognises that the move by many employers to limiting the use of flexible working arrangements and/ or the introduction of long shifts disproportionately affects women, yet the equality act gives us limited support in tackling these issues, and equality impact assessments are often tick box exercises rather than an effective measure of the issues. […]
Conference we note that overall, 65% of public sector employees are women. The public sector provides flexible working for women and better maternity benefits than the private sector. The Fawcett Society reported that the pay gap between women and men is 13.2% in the public sector and 20.4% in the private sector. People from Black […]
Conference recognises that the use of progressive, interactive and widespread social media sites can be very beneficial both in a work or a personal context. However, are we being less concerned about our rights to privacy when using these sites? The whole idea of social networking is to be involved, connected and in touch with […]
Conference is concerned that health services for the whole community are under sustained attack from wave after wave of austerity cuts. We know that Black communities take a disproportionate impact of these cuts There is growing alarm at the impact of cuts to mental health services for vulnerable children and young people. A recent annual […]
Conference notes with some distress that despite the UNISON ruling which allows for the creation of Black members self organised groups, protected seats at the highest lay member level, fairness and proportionality rules for conference and numerous motions which promote the increased involvement of Black members throughout our structures, many Black members continue to report […]
Conference, for many years medical science has been discovering life changing and life saving ways to increase life expectancy of human beings. However one of the areas that need to be highlighted for enhancing and saving life is organ donation. A donation is where a person donates their organs and tissues for transplant. A transplant […]
Conference, many people will not have heard of the Rohingya people, yet as the Economist noted these are some of the most persecuted minorities of people. The Rohingya people are Muslims from the Rakhine state in Burma and speak the Rohingya language. As far back as 1982 the Burmese government has denied the Rohingya citizenship, […]