FIGHTING THE FAR RIGHT

Conference is very aware that although the far right political parties did not win a seat at the recent General Election, their activity has by no means decreased. These parties and those associated with them continue to practice their homophobic, biphobic and transphobic ideals not forgetting their racism, disablism, xenophobia and other hatred including of […]

Dedicated branches forum

Conference recognises that dedicated Community Service Group branches (ie those where all members are community and voluntary sector workers) have very specific issues, which the new Service Group can help to resolve, but which can’t all be addressed in the framework of a one-day service group conference. Conference therefore resolves to set up a Dedicated […]

Organising in the Community Service Group

Conference welcomes the creation of the Community Service Group, which gives a real voice in UNISON to the 60 thousand members, working in over 17,000 workplaces, in charities, voluntary organisations, housing associations, social enterprises and co-operatives. Conferences notes that the UNISON’s ‘third sector’ membership has increased by around 50 per cent over the last six […]

Funding in the community and voluntary sector

Conference notes that over the last fifteen years, the range and number of public services provided by community and voluntary (or ‘third’) sector organisations has increased by a huge amount. By 2007/08, Government spending on the third sector had more than doubled compared to a decade earlier, rising to £12 billion, of which £7.8 billion […]

Personalisation

Conference notes the increased focus on personalisation of social care and its proposed role in the future of social care provision. Conference recognises the negative impact on jobs, pay and conditions and service provision and therefore the importance of maintaining UNISON’S personalisation campaign – “Cash for Care” – across the UK. Our “Cash for Care” […]

ACCESS TO VOTING AND POLLING STATIONS FOR DISABLED PEOPLE

This Conference will be concerned that many people were unable to exercise their right to vote in the 2010 elections as they were turned away on the day. Sometimes disabled people don’t get the opportunity to be turned away by the polling officer despite the duty in the Electoral Administration Act 2006 for local authorities […]

STRETCHING TARGETS FOR DISABLED EMPLOYEES SO THEY REFLECT THE POPULATON

This Conference is concerned that disabled people may become the first casualties of current job cuts in the public sector. Conference is also concerned that disabled service users will suffer if there are less disabled people employed in the public sector. It is very unusual for any workforce to reflect the percentage of the population […]

Tory Threat to Social Housing

Conference agrees that the Conservative proposals to end security of tenure, harmonise social housing rents to match that of the private sector and give social housing tenants a 10% stake in their homes is an attack on the very fabric of life in the UK. Tory plans will make 8 million social housing tenants worse […]

ACCESS TO DEMOCRACY

Conference believes that experiences of disabled voters, especially at the General Election 2010, expose many barriers that can disenfranchise a disabled voter. In particular we are concerned that the Mental Health Act 1983 bans people who have been sectioned under the Act from standing as Parliamentary candidates in elections. Given the disproportionately high rate of […]

LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER (LGBT) MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS

This Conference is concerned that 1 in 4 people in this country will experience a mental health problem in their lives (Mind), and that half a million people are so stressed by their jobs they believe it is making them ill. We believe that discrimination against Disabled LGBT workers leads to higher incidences of stress […]

HIDDEN BUT STILL HERE

Research has discovered that where you used to live could affect your child’s chances of being Autistic. The studies looked at children whose mothers had moved to the UK. From outside Europe too showed an increased risk of Autism in children whose parents had migrants from the Caribbean, Asia and Africa. The group with the […]

ABILITY TO INFLUENCE

Conference is concerned that disabled members may not be getting the opportunity to participate fully in policy and decision making processes. We are all aware of the new change in government and in particular the proposed cuts these will bring to public sector services. Where policies are developed or reviewed it is going to be […]

STOP THE UNECCESSARY MEDICALS

Conference agrees that Mr George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 22 June 2010, delivered a vicious attack on disabled workers when he said that all recipients of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) would be forced to undergo medical examinations to see if they would continue to receive DLA. Many disabled people are able to […]

HIDDEN DISABILITY

Conference notes that the term ‘non apparent disability’ is a catch-all phrase that simply means that a person’s impairment or condition is not obviously apparent or visible. Around 70% of people who have a disability in this country have a hidden disability. Delegates will have work colleagues who are disabled but who are not immediately […]

RECESSION JOB CUTS AND THE RETENTION OF DISABLED PEOPLE

This Conference is concerned that the lack of suitable vacancies and significant job losses in the public sector will make it more difficult for all disabled people and those who can no longer carry out their current duties even with reasonable adjustments to retain their employment. This Conference recognises that the use of an employers […]