COMMISSIONERS FOR OLDER AND VULNERABLE PEOPLE

This Conference calls upon the National Retired Members’ Committee and ultimately the National Executive Council to use whatever means at its disposal to lobby the Government with a view to creating Commissioners for Older and Vulnerable People (as in Wales) to champion the interests of these people in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

STATUTORY TRAVEL CONCESSION SCHEME IN ENGLAND

On 29 October 2008 the Department for Transport launched a 12 week consultation document proposing five further restrictions to the statutory travel concession scheme in England. They stated that it had never been intended to cover all local public transport services. Only 128 responses were received. None came from any Trades Union! Passed into law […]

Campaign to Keep the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

Conference notes that Eric Pickles, former Shadow Local Government Minister and David Cameron, Leader of the Conservative Party, have both publicly stated that a Conservative Government would end the final salary LGPS. Furthermore, discussions about setting an inferior Defined Contribution Scheme to replace the LGPS have taken place across political groupings within the Local Government […]

Future of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs)

Conference condemns the remarks of Shadow Home Secretary Christopher Grayling on the future of PCSOs under a Conservative Government. In an interview given to the Yorkshire Post, published on 5 May 2009, Mr Grayling said: “Doing away with PCSOs is something I’m looking at the moment. I’m minded to say that decisions about their futures […]

CONFERENCE ACCOMMODATION

This Conference calls upon the National Executive Council to investigate the matter of conference accommodation bearing in mind the difficulties encountered at the 2008 conference venue, namely the Crowne Plaza in Glasgow, by some delegates. The conference section had booked a number of rooms at special rates and after those had been allocated delegates were […]

TRADE UNION CONGRESS (TUC) COMPOSITE 6: TUC CONFERENCE 2006 – STATE PENSION

Conference notes with concern that despite UNISON’s support for Composite 6 on the state pension and restoring the link to earnings for increases carried at the 2006 TUC Conference, nothing tangible has taken place to improve the lot of today’s pensioners. According to a recent independent report on ‘Households below average income level’, more than […]

DEMENTIA

One million people will develop dementia in the next ten years. One in three people over the age of 65 will die from dementia, but it can happen at any age. Drugs may alleviate some symptoms but dementia can be defeated. For every £283 invested in cancer research dementia gets only £11! Conference therefore instructs […]

SURVEY OF RETIRED MEMBERS

Conference is aware that whilst the national pension is held at a level below the Government’s declared poverty level many of our members are experiencing financial difficulties. Low paid and part-time women workers are retiring and finding that their combined national and occupational pensions leave them needing to apply for benefits in order to reach […]

Supporting Our Members

During this credit crunch we are yet again seeing jobs disappear in our sector despite economic downturns having little detrimental impact on our business. Thames Water and the disgraceful treatment of its call centre staff is the latest example of an employer attempting to hike up already obscene profits. Conference is also appalled over the […]

Communicating with LGBT Members

Conference notes that continuing levels of prejudice and discrimination faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) workers means that a high proportion do not reveal their sexual orientation or gender history at work, there are also private individuals who consider their sexual orientation or gender history to be no one else’s business but their […]

Lack of Service for Black Children with Autism

Conference notes that in 2007 the National Autistic Society (NAS) published its report containing the largest ever survey conducted into autism and education in the UK. The report highlighted the lack of provision and training for teachers dealing with autism in general, including families struggling to access support for their children. This was consistently worse […]

Recruitment of Black Members into UNISON

Conference believes that the best tool to recruit Black members into UNISON is by highlighting our success for individual members and collectively at a local, regional and national level. Conference further believes that more Black activists must take up active roles within UNISON at all levels as this will in turn also promote and encourage […]

Encouraging Black Members to become Black Activists

Conference recognises that Black members face distinct challenges in becoming active within UNISON structures. Many Black members who join UNISON want to become more involved but there are few signposts to show them the way. Conference supports UNISON’s Fair Representation Policy as an important principle but believes this has not generated a significant increase in […]

Labour Government and the Black Community

The trade union has had a long and historic link with the Labour Party. The current government has lost its way, it is no longer a party for the working class and the vulnerable within our society, also it creates a disillusion and disappointment amongst our Black people in society, a large percentage of our […]

Fears over missing Black Children

Conference applauds the Government’s announcement to introduce adequate measure which will protect and support young runaways and missing children by ensuring that relevant authorities collect and collate data on runaways and missing children which is then forwarded onto a national database. Conference is concerned: about the alarming figures relating to missing Black children. A recent […]