Conference notes that there is a lack of consistency about the legal rights for young people when they reach the age of 16. At the age of 16, a person is considered old enough to pay taxes, to leave school, to marry and to join the armed forces, but not old enough to vote for […]
Conference motions
Conference notes the disturbing increase in racist attacks in the last year, one appalling example of which was the racially motivated axe murder of the black teenager Anthony Walker in Liverpool. It is now 13 years since the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence in London, which led to the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry and a drive […]
Conference notes that on 11 November, and on the closest Sunday after that date each year within the United Kingdom, civic and religious ceremonies are held to mark the death and injuries caused as a result of war. It is with sadness that Conference also observes that although the International Trade Unions Movement has designated […]
UNISON has taken the lead in producing excellent evidence-based analysis of the fundamental damage that the private finance initiative (PFI) does to public service delivery and public service workers. It has also demonstrated that the sums do not add up and that this is not value for money. Now the chickens are coming home to […]
Conference welcomes the 2005 recruitment figures which show that UNISON recruited 162,000 new members with a net gain of 32,000 members. With the exception of 2002, this is the highest number of members recruited in any year since 1994. Conference welcomes the challenging recruitment targets set by the National Executive Council for 2006. Conference further […]
Conference notes with dismay the growing negative effects that the marketisation of the National Health Service (NHS) in England is having on staff and patient services. According to a recent survey by the Health Service Journal, 63% of hospital trusts have been forced to close wards as a result of financial shortages, a quarter have […]
Conference acknowledges the result of the North East referendum on an elected Regional Assembly in 2004 as the democratic will of the electorate. While Conference recognises the result and the concerns it represents in relation to elected assemblies we are disappointed that the ‘no’ vote was largely based on the pessimistic and business orientated arguments […]
The government’s reform agenda for public services is being rolled out at an alarming rate and will radically and irreversibly change the provision and management of public services. Issues and proposals of concern include: 1)in health: a)proposals to re-organise strategic health authorities and fundamentally primary care trusts (PCTs) as part of ‘Commissioning a Patient led […]
Conference welcomes the continuing successful integration of education and learning issues within the union’s organising strategy, recognising that union education and training is a vital part of achieving organisational change and growth. UNISON’s educational resources have a major part to play in: 1)supporting recruitment and organising initiatives at branch and workplace level; 2)developing a new […]
D1.3.1 & D1.3.2 Insert after “thereof” “as at 30 September in the year preceding the conference” P8.2 insert after “membership” “as at 30 September in the year preceding the conference”
Conference welcomes the work that UNISON has already done in respect of organising, representing, protecting and supporting overseas workers, particularly in the health sector where reciprocal membership agreements have already been reached with overseas trade unions. However, despite our best efforts, many migrant workers are on the receiving end of unethical and often illegal practices. […]
Conference notes that the government has now passed the Identity Cards Act 2006, paving the way for compulsory identity cards and a national identity database. On April Fool’s day the government established a new agency, the United Kingdom Identity and Passport Service (UKIPS) to deal with passports and identity cards. The new agency should not […]
Conference calls on the National Executive Council to reinvigorate its campaign to oppose the government’s National Health Service (NHS) policy, announced in August 2005, “A Patient Led NHS”. The title alone is misleading, as we are continually experiencing on the ground. Patients’ interests do not figure in the interpretation of this policy and our members […]
Conference reaffirms its commitment to health, safety and welfare in the workplace as a cornerstone of UNISON and recognises that time and again members put health and safety at the top of their agenda and that health and safety is one of the main union recruitment tools, with 70 per cent of new members considering […]
UNISON warmly welcomes the enormous contribution that workers from overseas have made to our society. In particular we welcome their contribution to the effective running of our public services and to the diversity of our culture. In an increasingly globalised world the rate of labour migration has risen dramatically and is likely to continue to […]