Sale of the Millenium Dome

Conference notes: 1.That the Millenium Dome was built and funded as a facility for all people of the UK and not for the vested interests of private business. 2.That the proposed sale will transfer its use to a company that is backed by Phillip Anschlutz, who has a long history of supporting homophobic religious groups […]

Religious Schools and Other Religious Employers

Conference notes: 1.That the Church of England controls about a third of English schools despite having the active support of only about 3% of English people. 2.That the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, which applies in England and Wales, enables governing bodies of religious schools to employ teachers who have a commitment to the […]

Campaign for Reparation

Conference is appalled that the current Government refuses to recognise slavery as a crime against humanity, claiming it was “legal at the time”. Conference condemns the current Government for opposing reparation at the United Nations’ Anti-racism conference in Durban, South Africa last year. Conference recognises slavery as a heinous crime against our Black brothers and […]

Recognition of our Families and Partnerships

Conference welcomes the broadening of the debate on recognition of lesbian and gay partnerships. Conference notes that the Government has set up a team in the Women and Equality Unit to look into the issue of civil partnership registration and its associated rights and responsibilities and welcomes the participation of UNISON members in a survey […]

Term of Office on National Lesbian and Gay Committee

Conference instructs the National Lesbian and Gay Committee (NLGC) to increase the term of office for NLGC representatives from one to two years.

UNISON’s 10th Anniversary

Conference notes that 2003 will be UNISON’s 10th Anniversary. This will be a milestone anniversary of the coming together of the original 3 unions (COHSE, NUPE and NALGO). These 10 years have seen many achievements that UNISON should be proud of. Therefore this anniversary should be an opportunity to reflect on our achievements and renew […]

Joint Scotland & Northern Ireland Training Event

Conference recognises the valuable experience that regional training offers to groups and individual members. This training is further beneficial when it involves more than one region, and in April of this year UNISON Scotland hosted a joint event with our colleagues in Northern Ireland. This event was a reciprocal event following on from the success […]

Procurement and Equalities

Conference notes that the Audit Commission recently raised concerns on the performance of local authorities in respect of equalities, particularly in service delivery. Conference therefore welcomes the amendment to the Local Government Act 1988 part II powers, which removes the restriction preventing equality considerations from being taken into account in the awarding of contracts when […]

Pensions Service

The Government launched the new Pensions Service on 1 April 2002. Prior to that date, pensioners received face to face support and had their information processed by specialist staff based in their local benefits office. This Conference is concerned that under the new Pensions Service: 1)Pensioners will be forced to make claims or raise financially […]

Ending of Age Discrimination

This Conference notes that the Government has taken a piecemeal approach to the enactment of anti-discriminatory law in the United Kingdom. In particular, the Government does not apparently intend to address the question of age discrimination in the provision of goods and services set out in a European Directive until 2006 at the earliest. The […]

Ending of Tax Penalty on Pensioners

This Conference is concerned that nearly a million pensioners are being penalised on tax free allowances because of restrictions imposed by the Government. Such age allowance restrictions penalise modest savings and punish those who have worked to earn a decent pension. Conference requests the National Executive Council to raise this matter with the Government and […]

Political Fund Review

The growing anger and frustration of UNISON members at New Labour’s continued attacks on public services, through privatisation, cuts and low wages, was reflected at last year’s National Delegate Conference. Conference notes that the decision of National Delegate Conference 2001 to review the Union’s political funds was rightly seen by our members and the media […]

Palestine

This Conference expresses its deepest concern at the escalation and continuing acts of violence in the Middle East, whoever the authors may be. We believe that bloodshed will only cease when a degree of political perspective and dialogue is restored. Only then will a satisfactory solution be found to the Arab/Israeli conflict. Conference notes with […]

Globalisation

This Conference notes the increasing globalisation of trade in goods and services, and the powerful role played by transnational companies in this process. Conference also notes the huge increase in social inequality both within and between countries that engage in the global economy. Conference recognises that although international trade has the potential to lift millions […]

Directly Elected Mayors and Local Councils

Conference notes that the new Executive/Scrutiny split in the political structures of most local councils: 1)Reduces the role of back-bench councillors and leads to less accountability; 2)Reduces the ability of community campaigns to raise issues of concern to local people; 3)Can undermine the established industrial relations machinery and the effectiveness of the local union branch. […]