Police & Justice Service Group

Conference welcomes the decision of National Delegate Conference to approve the establishment of a Police and Justice Service Group. Conference calls upon the Service Group Executive, in consultation with representatives from the National Probation Committee and other sectors within the proposed new service group, to develop proposals on the constitution of that new Service Group, […]

Campaign to Keep the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

Conference notes that Eric Pickles, former Shadow Local Government Minister and David Cameron, Leader of the Conservative Party, have both publicly stated that a Conservative Government would end the final salary LGPS. Furthermore, discussions about setting an inferior Defined Contribution Scheme to replace the LGPS have taken place across political groupings within the Local Government […]

Workforce Modernisation and Flexibility

Conference welcomes the ongoing work by the NPIA and other key police stakeholders to take forward the workforce modernisation agenda. Conference believes that workforce modernisation holds the key to improved job opportunities, careers and job security for police staff in England, Scotland and Wales. Conference notes the results of the Deloittes’ Interim Report on Evaluation […]

Future of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs)

Conference condemns the remarks of Shadow Home Secretary Christopher Grayling on the future of PCSOs under a Conservative Government. In an interview given to the Yorkshire Post, published on 5 May 2009, Mr Grayling said: “Doing away with PCSOs is something I’m looking at the moment. I’m minded to say that decisions about their futures […]

Barriers to Attending LGBT Conference

Conference notes the importance of our union’s conferences, both in their democratic policy making role and also for the way they inform and inspire activists to return, re-energised, to their local union work. Conference notes with regret that only a minority of Energy branches send delegates to the annual UNISON lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender […]

Sickness Absence Management

Conference notes with concern that many employers have introduced draconian measures to reduce rates of sickness absence. These measures often seek to diminish the status of GP’s certificates in favour of assessments by company appointed private Occupational Health practitioners. They also attempt to marginalise existing collective agreements of sickness absence and often make no distinction […]

Failing UK Energy Market

Conference reiterates its long held belief that privatisation of energy companies and liberalisation of the energy market have not worked in the long term interests of consumers, the wider community or the employees. An unacceptable number of people are falling into ‘fuel poverty’ as energy bills remain too high and incomes fall. Conference regrets that […]

A New Economy Based on Green Energy

Conference recognises that many members employed by Energy Companies are suffering from the effects of the current international financial crisis. Although companies continue to report healthy profits, some have implemented cost savings leading to job losses and plans to invest in new greener energy infrastructure have been subjected to further reviews. Conference believes that both […]

Public Ownership of the Utilities

Conference Notes: i)The economic crisis which has spread rapidly across the globe, forcing thousands of businesses into bankruptcy and millions of workers into unemployment and poverty; ii)The hundreds of billions of pounds of public money which has been spent by governments across the world trying to prop up the world financial system in order to […]

STOP THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN PALESTINE – AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE AND END TO THE SIEGE OF GAZA

Conference notes that on 27 December 2008 Israel launched devastating air raids on the Gaza Strip, killing more than 300 people in the first day, one of the deadliest days for Gaza residents since Israeli occupation began 41 years ago. In total, more than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed over the past 20 days of […]

STOP THE BNP’s “RACISM CUTS BOTH WAYS”

This Conference notes the reporting of John Cruddas’ Early Day motion on the BNP’s “Racism Cuts Both ways” on the Lancaster Unity website on 9th January 2009 The Early Day Motion, signed by Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Plaid Cymru MPs, was accompanied by a letter to the Home Secretary and the Attorney General demanding […]

The importance of Black History Month and the need to support anti racist campaigns

Conference condemns the initiative of the British National Party who launched a campaign for “White History Month” in November 2008. Conference believes that this new development highlights the need for UNISON to continue to campaign against the BNP and is therefore concerned to discover that motions passed at National Black Members Conference in 2008 have […]

Fairtrade

Conference recognises the value of Fair-trade in getting a better deal for poor people from trade. Conference welcomes: The fact that the number of producer organisations in developing countries now selling into UK markets has grown to more than 350; The Government to encourage Fair-trade in all of its Departments which includes all the local […]

Lack of Service for Black Children with Autism

Conference notes that in 2007 the National Autistic Society (NAS) published its report containing the largest ever survey conducted into autism and education in the UK. The report highlighted the lack of provision and training for teachers dealing with autism in general, including families struggling to access support for their children. This was consistently worse […]

Grant Asylum Seekers the Right to Work

Conference notes the right to seek asylum is an internationally agreed human right under the Refugee Convention of 1951, which Britain signed after the Second World War, promising to provide sanctuary to those fleeing political and other forms of persecution. Conference further notes that many asylum seekers in Britain are incorrectly labelled “economic migrants” or […]