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 […]
Conference motions
Conference is appalled and concerned about the way in which the closure of Northern Complainant Aid Fund (NCAF) was handled by the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE). NCAF has consistently emerged as the best ever practice model for Race Relations Act (1976) ‘Section 44 funding aimed at assisting organisations concerned with “the promotion of equality […]
The Scottish Region applauds the efforts of the National Black Members’ Committee (NBMC) for their continued encouragement, and support to the regional and setting up of the black members’ self-organised groups at branch level. The Scottish Region believes a lot can still be done, to enable self -organised groups to achieve their potential, in order […]
Conference notes: 1) the failure of the Nazi BNP to win a single seat in the North East of England in the last round of elections, despite devoting massive resources to the area; 2) the BNP stood a candidate in all 25 wards in Sunderland and failed to win a single seat; 3) in subsequent […]
Conference believes that black members continue to suffer discrimination in their workplaces. Scottish Region applauds the efforts being made to address the problem of multiple discrimination faced by black workers in their workplaces. However Scottish Region believes that more should be done. There is a visible need to raise awareness to address this problem, via […]
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 […]
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 […]
In 2003 access to benefits offices by pensioners was replaced with the new Pensions Service, part of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The Pensions Service will be centralised with most business being conducted by telephone or post, resulting in the following for pensioners: 1)the withdrawal of drop-in facilities for pensioners from local benefit […]