Facilitation Services and Support in UNISON

Women’s role in society as the main carer makes it difficult for them to participate in UNISON without access to a facilitation service which provides for the full range of caring responsibilities that women undertake. Guidelines for members on the types of facilitation that can be put in place by UNISON, or can be arranged […]

Women, Discrimination and the Union

Conference recognises that women who are active in the union have a commitment to supporting, encouraging and developing women members to enable them to deal with the many and varied problems arising from work. Conference also recognises that in providing a quality service to members, women activists are often discriminated against at branch and regional […]

Negotiating Priorities for Women

National Women’s Conference welcomes the new legislation on improving maternity and paternity rights. However, women recognise that this is a starting point only for improving parents’ and carers’ rights in the workplace. Linked to this is negotiating enhanced national childcare provision looking beyond the statutory limit and seeking to campaign for a right to flexible […]

Relaunching Raise the Roof *

Southern Region brought their Raise the Roof Campaign to National Women’s Conference in Harrogate in 1999. National Women’s Conference sent the motion to the National Delegate Conference and it became UNISON policy. A successful campaign was launched, a lot of work has been done, but there is still a lot to do. Southern Region is […]

Female Genital Mutilation

Conference acknowledges it is a national disgrace that female genital mutilation continues to be carried out in the United Kingdom today. Estimates suggest that up to 7,000 girls each year are subjected to this abhorrent practice. A Private Members Bill, designed to stamp it out, proposes two measures: 1)tighten the loophole whereby some parents are […]

Crisis in Care

Conference welcomes the work being done nationally regarding crisis in care within the Right to Care campaign. Conference condemns the cost-cutting culture of some local authorities, which results in the elderly, mostly women, being uprooted from what is recognised as their home. They are moved to another establishment based only on cost. An example is […]

PFI – Retention of Employment Model

Improving the Quality of Support Given to Members

Proportionality

Conference is concerned that we failed to achieve proportionality by the year 2000. But women in UNISON must not let our union forget this policy. It is still important that those who hold power within UNISON, or who represent it should reflect the make-up of the membership. We should continue to strive towards this target […]

NHS Pension Scheme – Ill Health Retirement

This conference notes that the NHS Pensions Agency has contracted SEMA to provide medical advice on applications for ill health retirement. Conference further notes that there has been a widespread and systematic shift away from approving ill health retirement applications with cases which would have formally been accepted, being turned down on medical grounds. SEMA […]

Health Service Strategies on Domestic Violence

Conference welcomes the publication of the Department of Health Resource Manual on Domestic Violence, which has been distributed to all NHS Trusts. Conference also welcomes the initiatives taken by the Scottish Executive to encourage health service employers to improve service delivery for those experiencing domestic violence. Conference reaffirms that a major dimension to service delivery […]

Violence and Aggression in the NHS

We welcome the work that has already been undertaken to raise awareness of violence within the NHS. The Governments introduction of zero tolerance is a good place to start but does not reflect challenges that the NHS faces today. In recent press we have seen nurses and healthcare support workers attacked in their place of […]

Substitute Sector Representatives on the Service Group Executive

This Conference agrees to amend the Health Group Structures document to allow for the provision of substitutes for Sector Committee representatives on the Service Group Executive Committee.

Enforcement of the Pay not Poverty Campaign for Student Nurses and Midwives

This conference recognises nursing and midwifery students as valued members of our union. It sees the potential of working with nursing and midwifery student members during their training to ensure their continued membership throughout their careers. Conference acknowledges the work that has already taken place to campaign for a salary for student nurses and midwives […]

Integrated Care – Health and Social Services

This Conference reaffirms its policy of opposition to the establishment of Care Trusts, and in particular expresses its concern over plans to create specialised services in the form of Children’s Trusts and Care Trusts for elderly people’s services. This Conference is committed to the use of Health Act Flexibilities, including Section 31 Partnerships, as being […]