The Walker Review into Charging

Conference welcomes this review into the various options for the charging of water services. The UNISON report ‘Fair and Affordable Water’ made a strong case for the replacement of the existing system with a fairer, affordable more sustainable system for the future. Conference endorses UNISON’s submission to the Walker Review and its emphasis on the […]

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 water and environment branches send delegates to the annual UNISON lesbian, gay, bisexual […]

Water and Sanitation as an Essential Public Service and the Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals

Conference welcomes UNISON’s publication of the report ‘Sewerage Works’ and confirms its belief that sewerage has the potential to make a significant contribution to the sanitation needs of the many thousands of people living in urban squalor throughout the developing world. Water and Sanitation services are essential for life and it is universally accepted that […]

Free ManSour Osanloo

Conference regrets that, despite his poor health, Mansour Osanloo, leader of the Iranian bus workers union, remains in prison in Iran for his trade union activities. Conference notes that UNISON has actively supported the campaign by the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) and Amnesty International to free Mansour Osanloo and other trade unionists detained by […]

No National Identity Cards for Airport Workers

Conference confirms its opposition to the proposal to require airside workers at UK airports to hold national identity cards as a condition of employment. Despite the opposition of UNISON and the other trade unions the airside workers at Manchester Airport and London City Airport will have to apply for an ID card in the next […]

Merger of the Water and Environment and Transport Service Group Executives

Conference welcomes the decision of the NEC to approve the merger of the Water and Environment and Transport Service Group Executives. Conference notes that the Executive’s planning for the merger of the two service groups was unavoidably delayed while the NEC consultation on the review of service groups took place. Consequently there has not been […]

Quality Public Transport

Conference notes that with the increasing use of Smartcard technology a significant number of jobs of data collection staff are under consideration by managements. Since de-regulation over 20 years ago the quality of public transport by bus is no longer paramount in the strategies of many bus operators. The media continues to report that a […]

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 […]

Challenging Racism in the Workplace

Conference notes the continuing and pervasive nature of racism experienced by Black members in workplaces across Britain. Conference further notes the abundant evidence that has been generated as a result of monitoring under the Race Relations Amendment Act (2000) to show that Black people continue to be under-represented in the workplace, and that this gets […]

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 […]

Opposition to Single Group Funding Principles

Conference notes the outcome of the judicial review gained by Southall Black Sisters into Ealing Council’s decision to withdraw their funding. The finding being that the Council had failed to do a proper assessment of the potential impact of such a move. The Council’s decision was in part based on Government promoted principle that single […]

United Nations (UN) World Conference Against Racism Review

Conference notes the motion passed at National Black Members’ Conference in 2007 supporting calls for a Review Conference to follow up the UN World Conference Against Racism that took place in 2001. Conference further notes that UNISON Black members are working with community – led groups like the Global Afrikan Congress (GAC) and have made […]