Conference notes that while the financial situation has tightened considerably in all local government funded services, it is often the community and voluntary sector which is hit hardest by funding constraints. Local authorities often turn to voluntary sector partners first when cuts need to be made, and the result is that voluntary organisations have to […]
Conference motions
Conference notes growing evidence of serious shortcomings in the implementation of ‘personalisation’ in social care. The primary focus of central governments and local authorities is the roll out of ‘cash for care’ schemes such as direct payments, personal budgets or individual budgets. Other aspects of personalisation such as early intervention and prevention of dependency have […]
Conference notes: 1)The impact of the credit crunch and recession on local authority finance 2)The additional demands being placed on local authorities and the resulting workload pressures on staff 3)The ‘political expediency’ of freezing council tax levels, sometimes contributing to budget cuts and job losses in subsequent years 4)The decision of the Government in the […]
Conference notes that local government employees are uniquely and increasingly ‘squeezed’ between the priorities of central and local government, the complex funding mechanism for local government and efficiency savings. Conference believes that the public is entitled to the highest quality services and efficient use of public money. However, there is a limit to the ‘efficiencies’ […]
Conference notes the continuing and pervasive nature of racism experienced by Black members in local government workplaces across Britain. Conference further notes the abundant evidence that has been generated as a result of monitoring under the Race Relations Amendment Act (2000) to show that Black people continue to be under-represented in the workplace, and that […]
Conference notes and welcomes the government’s budget commitment to increased public spending. However, it is essential that the proposed “efficiency savings” also contained in the budget do not equate to job cuts or cuts in services at this time of recession. There is growing evidence that this recession will have a significant and unprecedented impact […]
Conference welcomes the impact of the Human Rights Act (HRA) 1998 in helping to protect our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) members in local government from discrimination, bullying and harassment in their places of work. The HRA, which applies to public sector bodies or those carrying out public sector functions, incorporates into UK law […]
Conference notes that whilst an employment tribunal ruling does not set legal precedent, widespread publicity for the judgement in the case of Ms Ladele v London Borough of Islington (2203694/2007 July 2008) added to the false impression that local government workers can claim their religion or belief as a reason for discriminating against lesbian, gay, […]
This Conference welcomes the announcement in the Queen’s speech in December that tougher licensing of lap dancing clubs will be included in the Home Office Policing and Crime Reduction Bill. Tougher licensing will allow gender equality to be considered in licensing processes and will protect the rights of women in the industry, by placing clubs […]
Conference notes that on 27 December 2008 Israel launched devastating air raids on the Gaza Strip, killing more than 300 people in the first day, one of the deadliest days for Gaza residents since Israeli occupation began 41 years ago. In total, more than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed over the past 20 days of […]
As women we need to ensure that young women are aware of the benefits of paying into a pension scheme at the earliest opportunity. In 2007, research by a private bank showed that over half of women aged between 35 and 44 had made no pension provision – apparently believing that they could rely on […]
This Conference notes the reporting of John Cruddas’ Early Day motion on the BNP’s “Racism Cuts Both ways” on the Lancaster Unity website on 9th January 2009 The Early Day Motion, signed by Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Plaid Cymru MPs, was accompanied by a letter to the Home Secretary and the Attorney General demanding […]
Conference condemns the initiative of the British National Party who launched a campaign for “White History Month” in November 2008. Conference believes that this new development highlights the need for UNISON to continue to campaign against the BNP and is therefore concerned to discover that motions passed at National Black Members Conference in 2008 have […]
Following the fall of the Taliban government in late 2001 women in Afghanistan have in theory more freedom and equality. In reality, however, the plight they face is much different. Women in Afghanistan still face forced marriage, abuse, the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, and an eighty eight per cent illiteracy rate. Women […]
National Women’s Conference applauds the work carried out by the National Women’s Committee in relation to domestic violence. However, the current monitoring system as decreed by the Home Office does not take into account those aged under 18 who are perpetrators of domestic violence. For example as a result of the current monitoring process, a […]