Sexual Orientation Regulations 2003

Conference welcomes the advice from the Joint Select Committee on Statutory Instruments regarding the proposed Sexual Orientation Regulations 2003. Conference notes the Select Committee’s advice that the regulations do not comply with the European Directive in relation to Regulation 7(3) regarding religion or belief. Conference is dismayed that the Government has chosen to ignore the […]

Homophobic Bullying in Schools and Isolation of Lesbian and Gay Students

Conference welcomes the end of Section 28, which was finally repealed receiving royal assent on September 18th, and notes the very long campaign for its repeal amongst the lesbian and gay (L&G) community and the broader labour movement. Conference in particular highlights the role played by trade unions in keeping up the pressure on the […]

Making Policy and Carrying it out

This Conference notes that: 1.following each National Lesbian and Gay Conference the National Lesbian and Gay Committee (NLGC) prepares an action plan on the decisions of Conference (Conference Action Report) which includes action points for branch and regional lesbian and gay (L&G) groups. However, this document is drawn up on the basis of the action […]

Home Care Inspections

The National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) is a new, independent public body set up under the Care Standards Act 2000, to regulate social care and private and voluntary health care services. From 1 April 2002 the NCSC took responsibility for the registration and inspection of services including care homes, replacing the previous system of inspection […]

Widows’ Pension Rights

Conference urges the National Executive Council to take every possible action, including under the Human Rights Act 1998 if appropriate, to remedy the injustices, inequalities and discrimination contained in the Local Government Pensions Scheme Regulations in relation to members’ provision for widows and widowers of post-retirement marriages.

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.

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.

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 […]

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” […]

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.

Health and Safety

Conference condemns the UK Government for not having met a number of commitments made in respect of health and safety legislation and demands action now. Having consulted broadly in 1999, and before, on what actions would secure safer and healthier workplaces, the Government’s Revitalising Health and Safety initiative has derailed and needs revitalising itself. Conference […]

Tackling Racism, Promoting Equality

Conference believes that the politics of the fascists pose a serious threat to our democratic values. The incitement to racism and racial violence by the British National Party (BNP) has alarmed the vast majority of people who are not racist. It is essential to continue to oppose all attempts to use the politics of racial […]

Political Fund Review

Conference approves the recommendations contained in the National Executive Council’s report on the Political Fund Review: 1)the current political fund arrangements offering choice between the General Political Fund (GPF) and the Affiliated Political Fund (APF) should be retained. Alternatives, which remove this choice or introduce a third fund, should be rejected. 2)a new set of […]

Branch, Steward and Workplace Organisation

Conference notes and welcomes the progress made in implementing the organising agenda into mainstream UNISON activity whilst recognising, as with any medium term objective, much remains to be achieved. Conference further notes the tangible benefits of this policy include: 1)contributing to the annual increase in membership over the past four years; 2)helping to substantially boost […]

Young Workers Better Off in UNISON

Conference believes that young workers join a trade union for the same reason as every other worker, regardless of age, for the work-based benefits membership brings. For too long sections of the trade union movement have stuck to the outdated view that a whole generation of workers is ideologically opposed to joining a union. This […]