Conference notes research that tells us that more and more women are binge drinking and that alcoholism is on the increase. Alcohol consumption increases the likelihood of a woman developing heart disease, various cancers, including breast cancer and other chronic health conditions. Conference requests that the National Women’s Committee develop information to raise awareness of […]
Conference motions
Conference welcomes the provision for statutory paternity leave but notes with concern the low level of take-up. Conference considers this is explained by: 1)the level of statutory paternity pay, currently a maximum of £106 per week; 2)limited eligibility, restricted to the baby’s father or the partner of a woman on maternity leave, and 3)the confusing […]
Conference agrees that access to birth control and abortion is crucial for women’s equality. The 2005 general election campaign saw unprecedented attacks on a woman’s right to choose, and the anti-choice lobby is adopting increasingly aggressive tactics to seek to restrict abortion rights. In particular, the sensationalist focus on later abortion is designed to confuse […]
Conference is proud to note that there are now over one million women members of UNISON, which equates to 75 per cent of our union’s membership. Conference welcomes initiatives such as the Pathways programme and the introduction of union learning representatives which have encouraged more women into active membership and has increased their participation as […]
For women today in the 21st century domestic abuse still remains taboo and hidden in society and in the workplace. For many women, the fear is of not being believed by work colleagues and management. Conference believes that too many women are suffering unnecessarily as a consequence of employers using absence management policies against employees. […]
No trade union is more committed to fighting poverty than is UNISON. Conference is proud that this is so. But Conference wishes to raise a note of caution. This caution is not intended to cause any less pressure to be brought in regard to making poverty history. But Conference believes that women will continue to […]
Conference is disappointed to learn that at the National Delegate Conference in Glasgow last June the Women’s Self-Organised Group (SOG) was the only SOG not to hold a caucus meeting. Conference wishes to remind the National Women’s Committee that caucuses are key political events at which the body of the SOG membership can: 1)recognise themselves […]
Conference notes with concern that many women on the receiving end of domestic abuse are not aware they can invoke a non-molestation order against the perpetrator. Molesting means harassing, pestering or interfering with you or your children in some way, and also includes assault. Assault can mean pushing, punching, slapping, throwing objects, spitting at you […]
Fifteen percent of women suffer serious period pains each month, 35 per cent of women suffer moderate pains. Some women suffer pains so strong they are comparable to labour pains. But worse than this is the prospect that your employer will just mark down another absence, without discussion or understanding, and that this will affect […]
The recent murder of Clare Bernal at Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge highlights once again the failures of the criminal justice system in protecting women against male violence. Conference believes that until violence against women is given a priority by government and legislators, women such as Clare Bernal will continue to die needlessly at the hands […]
Conference notes that: 1)the number of part-time workers has increased dramatically over the last 20 years. There are now 7.3 million part-time workers in the United Kingdom and over three-quarters of them are women; 2)in UNISON about 40 percent of our women members work part-time; 3)women working part-time are earning on average 40 percent less […]
Conference commends the National Women’s Committee for the hard work it carries out throughout the year. Unfortunately, the National Women’s Committee is faced with an unrealistic workload. The tasks arising from the previous National Women’s Conference motions, together with valuable time spent planning and preparing for the next annual National Women’s Conference, are impracticable. Motions […]
The current proposals by the government and broadcasting agencies will see the ending of all analogue broadcasting in this country between 2006 and 2010 – digital TV will be imposed upon the whole population by 2012 at the latest. There is considerable concern that this may leave many elderly retired persons either with poor services […]
Conference recognises that ageing brings about the natural need for more optical and dental care. The costs of these essential services are constantly rising whilst pension increases lag well behind. Furthermore, dental care on the NHS is hardly available. More than five million pensioners are now subject to the means test for help to purchase […]
Conference considers that the present cost of utilities – electricity, gas and water charges, are disproportionate for pensioners whose income is limited. Conference believes that the best way to alleviate the effect of these charges upon pensioners is to fully restore the value of the state pension and the restoration of the earnings link to […]