The Scottish Region notes with grave concern at the loss of opportunity to hold its annual delegate’s conference in the year 2003. It notes that while other self organised groups had the opportunity of producing policies for their national committees to operate on, the National Black Members’ Committee (NBMC) is disadvantaged in getting the policies […]
Conference motions
Conference notes that UNISON is the biggest public sector union with more than one million members, with membership density being concentrated in health and local government – two public services that play a key roles in the lives of all citizens. UNISON therefore has a vital responsibility to work to tackle racism and the attitudes […]
Black members and black communities are deeply concerned about the rise of the Bristish National Party (BNP) and the election of the BNP to seventeen local authority seats in various parts of the country. Black members are extremely concerned that those charged with mounting effective campaigns against the BNP appear to be sticking to a […]
Conference is concerned about the proposed changes to Employment Tribunal practices, which have prompted UNISON to consider changes to its own criteria for supporting race complaints. Currently, UNISON supports race complaints to tribunals using a more than 50 per cent chance of success baseline. This baseline is currently under review with likelihood that UNISON will […]
Each year there are black history monthly events across the country but these are varied in their links within the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities or Black and Minority Ethnic voluntary organisations. If each regional black members’ committee were to organise events with all the BME voluntary organisations in their county or local area […]
Forty eight per cent of ‘stop and search’ incidents in the County of Northamptonshire involve black people; less than two per cent of these incidents actually result in an arrest. This means that, despite the requirements of “reasonable grounds for suspicion”, seven out of eight of those searched are doing nothing wrong. Stop and search […]
Conference notes the intention of the Conservative Party, announced at its Conference in October 2003, to re-introduce the earnings link to state pension increases which they themselves had broken when in government. Conference calls upon the National Executive Council to press the Government, through the UNISON Labour Link, to implement the decision of the Labour […]
In view of the recent Tory promise to restore the link, this Conference requests the National Retired Members’ Committee to urge the National Executive Council to press this Government, via the Labour Link, to do the same.
Conference is opposed to any proposal to tax the lump sum that is paid to widows/widowers in the event of a pensioner dying within five years of retirement. Such lump sums are currently tax-free. Conference requests the National Retired Members’ Committee to ask the National Executive Council to organise a campaign to oppse this proposal […]
Conference is again concerned at the lack of administrative time given to National Retired Members’ Conference in view of the lateness, once again, of receipt of the timetable and attached papers, which did not arrive at most branches until (at the earliest) Wednesday 11 June 2003. Motions were to be submitted by noon on Thursday […]
Conference notes the Government statement of July 2003 and proposals to end age discrimination in the workplace and so on. Conference, however, recognises that the statement is also a blatant attempt by the Government to try to resolve the pensions crisis by forcing people to work longer. Conference declares its opposition to any attempt to […]
Good communication is vital to ensure the future of the Retired Members’ Organisation and this is dependent upon accurate records of retired members and retired member contacts being maintained. Rule G.4.2.2 states that the Branch Secretary shall co-operate with the union’s Head Office in keeping a record of all members’ names, addresses and work groups […]
Conference notes that pensioners in Wales, Greater London, the West Midlands, (former county area), and elsewhere have obtained free concessionary travel. Conference believes that the time is now right to launch a concerted campaign to obtain free transport throughout Great Britain. Such free transport to mean the introduction of a pensioners’ travel card for both […]
In February 2003 the Health Service Ombudsman published the report NHS Funding for Long Term Care which contained the results of four investigations into complaints about the way in which health authorities set and applied their eligibility criteria for NHS funding for the continuing care of older and disabled people. The report stated “There is […]
Conference condemns the introduction of the Pensioner Credits Scheme and notes that more than one million pensioners have not made application for such credits. Conference believes that restoration of the state pension scheme to its former monetary value is the proper way forward and would obviate the need for pension credits, minimum income guarantees for […]