The Conference welcomes the decision of the Government to allow RU486 (or Mifepristone) to be used by women who have chosen an early abortion. RU486 is a steroid hormone similar in structure to the natural hormone progesterone. It is widely used in France and now accounts for about 30% of all French abortions. RU486 can […]
Conference motions
The Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Women’s Committee is very concerned at the continuing disparity in the sentencing passed on men who murder their partners and women who kill their partners in the process of defending themselves against sustained domestic violence/abuse. This continuing discriminatory practice and misunderstanding of the effect that long term domestic violence has […]
This Conference is aware that one of the founding principles of UNISON was to have reached proportionality and fair representation by the year 2002, whilst this goal has not been achieved we recognise that there has been progress – principally that delegations from branches to national/regional events are now expected to achieve proportionality and fair […]
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 […]
This Conference notes the findings of the 2002 UNISON survey of UNISON representatives which concludes: 1)The typical UNISON steward is 47 years old, male, working full time and has been a steward for nine years. 2)55% of stewards are men compared to 33% of members who are men. 3)7% of stewards work part time compared […]
This Conference welcomes the Government’s new legislation to improve the rights of working parents from April 2003 in particular: 1)The increase in basic maternity leave from 18 weeks to 26 weeks. 2)The increase in Statutory Maternity Pay from £75 to £100. 3)The introduction of paid paternity leave. 4)The introduction of statutory paid adoption leave. 5)The […]
Conference notes that women employees relying on the state pension earned during employment to provide a reasonable standard of living in retirement, often find at the time of retirement, that they will not receive their anticipated pension. We believe this is a pension scandal to rival that of Equitable Life or the Maxwell affair. 1. […]
Twelve million women in the United Kingdom are aged 45 or over and the number is increasing. Many of these women spend longer in paid employment, making an important contribution to the economy and public services. Unfortunately, little interest has been taken in the impact this has had on this neglected group’s physical, emotional and […]
Women need to take action for a healthier planet. It is now being recognised that there is evidence of a link between health and the environment. Women and children are the first to feel the effects of environmental degradation. Women must be empowered to take action about issues that affect and concern them. Conference instructs […]
This motion calls upon the National Women’s Committee to continue its pressure on the British Government and international bodies to condemn the abusive treatment of women worldwide. Conference condemns the way in which fundamentalist regimes of all persuasions deny women access to their fundamental rights. These regimes are denying women access to freedom, education and […]
The Government has announced that it intends to create a single equality commission to champion women, gay people, ethnic minorities, the elderly and disabled people. If this radical merger takes place it could dilute the rights of different minority groups. The Government’s intention is to have one body that can enforce the rapidly expanding body […]
It has been almost ten years since the death of Stephen Lawrence. In that time we have heard Dave Prentis say: “UNISON believes that tackling the problem of institutional racism within public services is essential not only for black workers but also to improve public services”. This is why it is important to establish what […]
Conference notes that this is the tenth Conference that the National Black Members’ Committee has held but there has never been any occasion where the mass media – press, local and national newspapers and television – have given publicity to the National Black Members’ Conference, especially on the first day of Conference by interviewing key […]
Conference welcomes the organisation of a European Social Forum (ESF) in Italy in November 2002. We believe the ESF will be a unique chance for anti-racist activists and trade unionists from across Europe to come together and discuss how to organise against free market policies and Bush and Blair’s war. We support the Call of […]
The issue of race is sensitive now as at anytime in the 25 years of the Commission for Racial Equality’s existence. The far right is on the rise across Europe and, in this country, the BNP has gained a foothold in local government and this is very disturbing. There have been race riots in several […]