Conference notes with pride the work which has been undertaken by UNISON’s women’s organisation in campaigning on the issue of breast cancer awareness, access to services and the causes and prevention of breast cancer. Conferences agrees that it is essential for world class breast cancer services, provided by the National Health Service, to be available […]
Conference motions
Conference is concerned to note reports that some delegates to National Women’s Conference are paid subsistence rates lower than those for their branch delegates attending National Delegate Conference. It is clear that not all branches have a consistent policy for subsistence for their members which can lead to discriminatory policies in respect of subsistence rates […]
Conference welcomes the work that UNISON has done in respect of representing and organising overseas workers in the public sector. However, this motion is to raise through the National Women’s Conference the issues facing women migrant workers who are encouraged to come to the United Kingdom (UK) to work, either by choice or those who […]
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. […]
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 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 pleased to acknowledge UNISON’s recent increase in the childcare and dependency allowance to £32 per day. In the current financial climate Conference’s concern is that this does not reflect the true cost of childcare in many parts of the country, especially in the south east of England where the cost of living is […]
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 […]
This LGBT Caucus is concerned that, since the change of procedures, the LGBT Disabled Caucus did not have time to meet, to prepare motions to the National Disabled Members’ Conference, and the meeting on 6 August was cancelled by National Headquarters. Therefore the LGBT Caucus did not have time to prepare motions or amendments to […]
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 […]