Conference welcomes the development of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender networks in most of the Trades Union Congress’s (TUC’s) English regions and in Scotland and Wales. It urges UNISON Regional Lesbian and Gay Committees to contribute to these developments and to make them a standing item on the agenda of their meetings. It instructs the […]
Conference motions
This Conference recognises the valuable work of the Trades Union Congress Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (TUC LGBT) Committee in building and developing policy for the TUC on LGBT issues and UNISON’s involvement in this. Conference also recognises the work of the voluntary LGBT organisations, but believes the trade union movement is best placed to […]
Congress recalls its view that the Trades Union Congress Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (TUC LGBT) Conference should not always be held in London. (Resolution 17 of the eighth National Lesbian and Gay Conference, 2000.) Moreover, it notes that, this year, the conference was held later than usual and on dates which, as far as […]
Conference celebrates the fact that next week sees the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations come into force. The regulations will make it unlawful to discriminate against lesbians and gay men in the workplace. Conference applauds the fact that the regulations cover all sectors and that there is no small employer exemption. Conference recognises the input […]
Conference notes the statements made by Robin Cook and Clare Short at the Foreign Affairs Select Committee on 17 June 2003, that reaffirmed our belief that the basis for war in Iraq was unjustified. They believed that information from the intelligence services showed that, far from being prepared for an immediate response with Weapons of […]
Conference remains concerned that, despite the relative health of the UK economy compared to other industrialised countries, there are still enormous imbalances between the health of the private services sector and the decline of manufacturing, between regions and between the rich and the poor. There is also a vulnerability to the collapse of a debt-financed […]
Conference supports the movement for fairer trade with developing countries in the struggle against poverty and unjust trade terms. Conference endorses the Fairtrade standards set up by the Fairtrade Foundation. These standards guarantee that fairly traded products like tea, coffee or textiles are bought at a price which not only covers the cost of production, […]
Since 1997 UNISON has supported the principle of devolution and decentralisation applicable to English regions as well as Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and London. This union continues to believe that regional governance offers great opportunities for improving public services whilst making government more relevant and open to the local population. Conference notes the continuing contribution […]
Conference is appalled at the successes achieved by the British National Party (BNP) in local elections. These are based on their ability to spread lies, fear and prejudice and represent a stain on our democracy. Conference believes that this trend is part of the wider problem of the alienation of low income communities as a […]
Conference congratulates the work of UNISON nationally, regionally and locally in highlighting the threat to our pensions. Recent developments in the pensions industry such as the closure of many final salary schemes, either completely or to new entrants, the multi-million pound mis-selling scandals, and the near collapse of longstanding financial institutions have all strengthened the […]
Conference welcomes the provisions of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 which places a positive duty on all public authorities to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and good race relations in all their functions. Furthermore, Conference welcomes the commitment to developing codes of practice for relevant public bodies and put in place […]
Conference notes that that the first demonstration organised in opposition to the policies of the New Labour Government was of students and other young people opposed to the introduction of tuition fees. Before the introduction of top up fees two-thirds of the population were against them as were the National Union of Students (NUS) and […]
Conference recognises that the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) aims to expose services world wide to competition, and is a real threat to public services in the UK. While GATS does not compel governments to liberalise, or privatise, services, there will be great pressure on them to do so. GATS is an ongoing […]
Conference believes that decent affordable housing is a fundamental right of all citizens and is particularly concerned about the lack of supply of low cost quality homes for working people and their families in the United Kingdom. Conference notes that Government cannot now meet its Decent Homes Target of bringing all council housing up to […]
Conference recognises that the recent political debate has shifted, since the spending increases announced in 2002, from a question of extra funding to one of public service reform, with growing support for different varieties of new localism. However this debate has been marked more by rhetoric than either substance or vision. There is a contrast […]