Social Worker Registration

Social workers are now required to register with the General Social Care Council in order to practice legally, and this registration has to be renewed every three years. In so doing they have to complete extensive registration documents that amongst other things ask personal questions within a medical declaration that includes disability status. When completing […]

The Social Model of Disability

Many UNISON disabled members that could potentially disadvantage them in the workplace do not identify their individual access requirements. The Disability Discrimination Act definition of a disabled person has recently been extended to define people with MS, HIV and cancer as disabled from a point of diagnosis. We welcome this legislative change as a signal […]

Developing a UNISON Vision for the NHS

Conference notes that, despite the record levels of investment going into the National Health Service (NHS), many NHS patients and staff are failing to experience the improvements that should be occurring. Too often, there exists a gap between the rhetoric about the positive changes that are supposed to be taking place in the NHS and […]

Rule L.2 Members’ Benefits

Delete L.2 and insert new L 2: “.2 The National Executive Council shall take all steps necessary to ensure that the charity – UNISON Welfare, is adequately funded to meet its responsibilities. Within the Constitution and Rules of UNISON Welfare a range of services may be provided as determined by the Board of Trustees, including […]

Rule G.2.2.3 The Branch Committee

Add new Rule G.2.2.3: “.3shall organise around workplace learning and co-ordinate the activities of learning representatives;”

NO2ID

Conference calls upon the government to immediately cease all further development of, and legislation for, national identity cards and the National Identity Register. Conference further welcomes the decision of the Scottish Executive not to make ID cards compulsory for accessing devolved public services. We believe the proposals constitute an attack on individual rights and freedoms. […]

Rule G.4.1.1 Branches

After “Young Members Officer” insert “, Welfare Officer”

Repeal of Political Fund Review Ballot Legislation

Conference welcomes the overwhelming vote of UNISON members by 85 per cent to retain UNISON Political Fund, and further notes that virtually every union which has been obliged to hold a review ballot in the last year has secured a decisive majority in favour of retention of a political fund. For most unions this represents […]

Pension Fund Investments and Trade Union Organisation

Conference notes that workers’ pensions and savings are invested in publicly quoted companies around the world. Even after the stock market slump, in 2002, workers’ retirement savings and pension funds totalled more than US$11 trillion. Large institutional investors, pension funds, insurance companies and mutual funds, together own a majority share in most of the world’s […]

Rule H.5.8 Subscription Appeals Committee

Delete H.5.8

Rule D.2.4 Additional Members’ Seats

Delete all after “date of election” and replace with “.”

Rule Q

RESERVED LOW PAY SEATS Delete “New Earnings Survey” and replace with “Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings”

Rule G.6 Learning Representatives

Add new Rule: “.6 Learning Representatives 6.1 Learning representatives shall be selected for each work group or workplace in accordance with branch arrangements 6.2 The selection of learning representatives shall be reported to the branch for ratification and issuing of credentials 6.3 Learning representatives shall: 6.3.1carry out the function of a learning representative as set […]

Portable Pensions in Public Services

Conference is concerned that workers in contracted out public services sometimes end up moving between a whole series of different pension schemes, as a result of being passed between different employers each time the service is retendered. This can expose workers to difficult decisions about whether to transfer their pension rights, and may result in […]

Women and Work

UNISON recognises the significant inequalities still faced by women at work. Conference condemns the continuing pay inequalities across all sectors and notes that women working full time still earn, on average 18 per cent less than men, and part-time women workers 40 per cent less than men. Conference deplores this continuing pay discrimination which devalues […]