Local Government Pension Scheme

Conference is alarmed at the threat to the Local Government Pension Scheme posed by the government’s plans to introduce amended regulations. Conference sees this as part of a wider move to undermine pensions in general. Conference calls on the National Retired Members’ Committee and all retired members’ sections to support the TUC’s Pay Up For […]

Concessionary Fares

Conference is conscious that pensioners in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and some areas of England currently enjoy schemes which allow them free use of public transport. It is also aware that there are schemes where reduced rates are available subject to local authority boundary limitations. This appears to be a post code lottery and […]

Packaging Standards

Conference calls upon the National Executive Council to make representation to the appropriate organisation responsible for packaging standards, with a view to easing the opening of packages, jars and bottles for older people. Considerable difficulties are experienced in opening packages, jars and bottles, especially when suffering with fingers and hands crippled with arthritis/rheumatism and so […]

Free Travel Pass

Progress has been slow towards achieving a free travel pass on all public transport for those reaching the accepted national retirement age and over. At present discrimination exists as 20 per cent of the country have a free travel pass and 80 per cent do not. Conference instructs UNISON National Retired Members’ Committee, and calls […]

NHS Dentistry

Conference calls upon the National Executive Council to take appropriate steps to ensure the government addresses the problem of lack of National Health Service dental provision. The shortage of such dental practices is discriminating against older people on low incomes who are unable to afford private treatment.

Restoration of the Value of the State Pension

The pension credits scheme was introduced in October 2003 but many pensioners have still not applied for this means-tested benefit. John Denham, Labour MP for Southampton Itchen, has confirmed that the surplus in the national insurance fund this year amounts to £30 billion. The government actuary has ruled that £5 billion has to be retained […]

End the Occupation of Iraq

Conference notes that ten months after the end of the war in Iraq: 1.The head of the Iraq survey group has stated that no Weapons of Mass Destruction exist, forcing the UK and UK governments to hold enquiries into the information on WMDs. 2. 3.The Hutton report is widely seen as having totally whitewashed the […]

Access to Facilities and Paid Time Off for All Trade Union Representatives

Conference welcomes the government’s new employment relations bill which contains many useful proposals including the right of unions to make it possible to uphold our rule books and expel elements of the far right from union membership. However, Conference regrets that the bill in its current form does not go far enough and leaves workers […]

Fighting the BNP

Conference believes that racist and fascist organisations have no place in a democratic and pluralistic society. Conference notes that the recent successes of the British National Party (BNP) have been achieved against a background of media-inspired hysteria against asylum seekers, poverty, supposedly failing public services and the failure of the traditional political parties to engage […]

Housing

Conference condemns the government’s failure to tackle the country’s housing crisis. Conference notes that since May 1997, only 1343 council houses have been built. Futhermore, housing finance rules mean that local authorities are prevented from directly investing in existing council housing in order to bring it up to a decent standard. The government’s priorities on […]

Public Services

Conference shares the government’s ambitions of a future fair for all, delivering to all citizens world class public services based on need and not the ability to pay. The public services have become the new political battleground on which the last general election was, and the next will be, fought. Conference notes with great regret […]

End the Two Tier Workforce

Despite government promises, a two-tier workforce is still operating in our public services. In England, Scotland and Wales, government has signed up to protocols about future services. In Northern Ireland, government is still considering proposals. In the meantime, low paid workers in health and education, who were privatised are being exploited. Conference calls upon the […]

Organising and Recruitment

Conference welcomes the dedicated work of regions and branches on organising and recruitment and congratulates the branches involved in the highly successful schools organising and recruitment campaigns, which led to significant increases in members, workplace contacts and stewards. Conference believes that UNISON is facing new and dynamic organisation pressures including: 1)a significant increase in public […]

Local Government Finance

Conference notes that reviews of Local Government Finance are taking place throughout the United Kingdom. Local Authorities need reliable income, solid financial structures and increased revenue in order to be able to deal with the new burdens placed on them by Central Government and are increasingly unable to maintain funding of core services. The present […]

Campaigning to defend the Local Government Pension Scheme

This Conference condemns the Government for its attempts to attack the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). This scheme offers hundreds of thousands of workers in local councils and in other related public services the chance of a decent pension in retirement This Conference notes with concern that, following consultations with UNISON and other interested parties […]