Council Tax/Pension Increase

Conference urges the National Retired Members’ Committee to use its best endeavours to obtain the support of the National Executive Council in establishing a fair and equitable balance between annual pension increases and annual council tax increases by way of appropriate rebate.

Conference Attendance Quotas

Conference instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee to establish a fair quota system relating to branch members attending National Retired Members conference. Their proposals to be submitted to the 2004 National Retired Members Conference.

Pensions

Conference instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee to approach the Pensions Section or other relevant body to ascertain the effect on public service pensions, of the Chancellor’s proposal to index the state pension to the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), rather than the current retail price index. The results of this enquiry to be […]

Iraq

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 […]

The Economy

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 […]

Safety on Pavements, Footpaths and Pedestrian Areas

Conference requests the National Executive Council to seek all means to implement the present law relating to motorised vehicles and cycles and anything that obstructs the use of pavements, walkways, pedestrian areas and verges as this endangers the physical security of legitimate users with specific reference to senior citizens.

Tenants in Common Agreement

Conference calls on the National Executive Council to seek legal advice regarding the setting up, by individual UNISON retired members, of a tenants in common agreement which relates to privately owned property.

Cost of Non-Residential Care

Conference wishes to express its concern that local authorities across the country are raising the cost of non-residential personal or nursing care to those most vulnerable who rely on these important services. Conference calls on the National Retired Members’ Committee to ask the National Executive Council to mount a campaign under the “Right to Care” […]

Say No to the Employers’ Pay Commission Proposals

Conference notes with alarm the Employers’ evidence to the NJC Local Government Pay Commission which: 1Seeks to restrict national bargaining to the annual pay settlement 2Suggests optional use of the current pay spine 3Calls for an end to Part 3 conditions 4Regards ‘contribution pay’ based on individual performance and behaviour as the means to link […]

Fair Trade

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, […]

Regional Government in England

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 […]

Rise of the Far Right/Industrial Decline

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 […]

Pensions

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 […]

The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000

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 […]

University Funding and Top-Up Fees

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 […]