The National Insurance scheme was established in 1948 to provide unemployment benefit, sickness benefit, retirement pensions and various other benefits to employees and pensioners in the United Kingdom (UK). From the contributions an initial allocation is set aside for the National Health Service (NHS) and the remainder held in the National Insurance Fund (NIF) which […]
Conference motions
This conference notes that on 2nd May the Committee on Climate Change set out how the UK could achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This landmark report by a government body has provoked a massive national debate in the last month and promises of immediate government action. Conference believes that UNISON energy workers […]
Conference notes that: 1)The Supreme Court decision in Walker v Innospec in July 2017, that upon John Walker’s death his husband should get the same pensions as would a wife had he married a woman, relies upon European Union (EU) law and sets aside a provision of the United Kingdom’s Equality Act 2010 that permitted […]
In SO2.1 Delete “end of one Retired Members’ Conference” and insert “time of their election onto the Standing Orders Committee”.
This Conference recognises that older people find it difficult to afford the cost of National Health Service (NHS) dental care. Regular dental checks can detect other more serious medical conditions, such as oral cancer and heart disease, and, as such, act as preventative health screening. Conference, therefore, calls upon the National Retired Members’ Committee to […]
Conference acknowledges that early identification and diagnosis of a range of health conditions e.g. heart and lung problems, diabetes, kidney disease and early cancers can have a significant impact and increase the chance of success of subsequent treatments. Health professionals widely agree that early diagnosis of many conditions can be of major personal health benefit […]
Insert a new rule after D 6.2.4: “D 6.2.5 The National Young Members Forum may establish a national conference of young members from branch and regional groups.”
The Energy sector is undergoing an unprecedented level of change, arguably the most change since the privatisation of the sector in the 1980’s. The sector is facing real challenges from competition within the sector; political challenges from all political parties and the media; the need to meet OFGEM requirements; opinions from the consumers whose switching […]
Conference notes that at the time of writing, the UK is still set to leave the EU on 29 March but that the terms of its exit and whether it will exit at all remains very unclear. Conference believes that regardless of whether the UK has left the EU on 29 March under the terms […]
Facility time is a fundamental right of trade unionists in the workplace. It ensures we support our members at disciplinaries, and that policies of the organisation’s our members work for are scrutinised and negotiated effectively. UNISON already provides brilliant resources for our branches such as the ‘Facility Time, Guidance for branches’ document most recently revised […]
Conference notes with concern a trend within the water industry for workplace agreements to be circumvented by local managers. This is frequently done on a “trial basis”, in localised areas, without any systematic or meaningful consultation. Often the agreed communication and consultation channels between the companies and the unions are ignored on the pretext that […]
In December 2018, UNISON members voted by over 9 to 1 to reject the Environment Agency’s 2018 pay offer which would give workers an average rise of less than 1.3%. This amounts to an overall erosion of pay in real terms of over 20% since 2009. The other recognised unions which balloted also rejected the […]
2019 is yet another challenging year for bus services, with operators facing financial pressures and local authorities facing further budget cuts. Increased congestion and road closures due to roadworks mean that operators have to allocate additional resources to serve reducing demand. The result looks like further cuts to and withdrawal of bus services across the […]
Conference celebrates UNISON’s work over the past 25 years to promote women’s equality and participation and to tackle sexism and sex discrimination at work, in our union and across society. Like other service groups, the Water, Environment and Transport service group has a majority of women members and our rules and practices to encourage women’s […]
Conference, the Water Industry has for some time turned a blind eye to the fact that waste water employees are taking work wear home to launder. It is understood the reason for this is that the waste water industry has not whole heartily been able to find a laundry provision that accommodates the ability to […]