Conferences notes with concern the current interest in reviewing the law to reduce the time limits for abortions. The decision to have an abortion is a complex one, involving a range of personal, emotional, social and economical considerations. Conference does not believe that any review on the time limits for abortion should be purely based […]
Conference motions
Conference notes that this year’s conference location is Plymouth. Whilst recognising the restrictions on choice for the conference, due to the scale of the event, this meeting states its concerns with the location chosen. Whilst accepting that any location chosen should have a good standard of facilities we are concerned that the remote geographic location […]
It is estimated that one in ten children is a young carer in the UK today, saving the country an estimated £3 million per year. The majority of these children will be caring for their mother or enabling their mother to work by caring for another family member. The majority of young carers are girls. […]
Conference notes the horrific experiences that many women have of the immigration process in the UK and the role that the Dungavel detention centre in South Lanarkshire has played. Conference recognises that since the detention centre opened, over 100 children have been detained at the centre along with their families. This includes the Ay family […]
Conference recognises the excellent work done by the National Young Members’ Forum, many branches and colleagues in recruiting young members. Young women, juggling a career, caring responsibilities and further training, often on a low wage, require extra encouragement and support to become active in UNISON. In addition, Conference recognises and appreciates UNISON’s ability to deliver […]
Conference notes that women comprise less than 10 per cent (4,500) of the prison population and yet they account for nearly 50 per cent of the incidents of self harm amongst prisoners. In a recent report it was revealed that many have drug and/or mental health problems – at HMP Brockhill in the West Midlands […]
Conference applauds National Women’s Committee for involving the Women’s Environmental Network at last year’s National Women’s Conference through workshops and stalls. Grampian Health Branch delegates were greatly impressed and gravely concerned by much of the information obtained at last year’s workshop and have used it in our own branch. Conference considers that a national campaign […]
Conference notes that child victims of sexual abuse are entitled to compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). Such compensation is particularly relevant to women who are the main victims of child sexual abuse. However this compensation is subject to certain conditions, primarily: 1) that offences must be reported to the police; and 2)that […]
Conference will recall motion 33 from National Women’s Conference 1998 which highlighted the problem of teenage girls being inappropriately placed in adult women’s prisons, in contravention of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which states that juvenile offenders should be separated from adults within the prison system, but that the British government […]
In 2003, National Women’s Conference resolved not to allow UNISON to forget its policy on proportionality. We called for National Women’s Committee to: 1)collate and publish statistics annually which monitor progress towards achieving proportionality throughout UNISON, and to present these annually to Women’s Conference; and 2)ask the National Executive Council to present these findings annually […]
Conference is concerned at the apparent increase in the ill treatment of women asylum seekers as reported by solicitors/barristers working in this field. With a hostile public attitude that has been developed and is fed by the rightwing press, there seems to be less interest in the fate of asylum seekers and there may be […]
Conference has always agreed that we want more women to become active and involved in all aspects of UNISON. But still barriers are placed in their way and this leads to frustration and allows the accusation of hypocrisy to be levelled at some sections of UNISON. We encourage women to attend UNISON conferences both National/Service […]
Thousands of women around the world work in an industry where exploitation is the order of the day. Workers cannot complain or they could lose their jobs. If they try to form a union or join a union to fight for better pay and conditions, they get ill-treated and intimidated. That is the garment trade. […]
During the last few decades, there has been a rise in the number of drug rapes and drug-related attacks, mainly taking place in pubs and clubs where the opportunity to spike drinks is readily available. Women are particularly vulnerable, so it is therefore necessary to be aware and informed of the problem and to raise […]
One in every nine women in the United Kingdom continues to develop breast cancer at some point in her lifetime. That is why being aware of self-examination and diagnostic procedures in hospitals are vital for all women. If you have been referred to hospital with a breast lump or a change in the appearance of […]