Accessible mental health services

Conference is concerned about the growing impact of mental health problems on Deaf people. This problem has increased because there are simply not enough accessible mental; health services. Deaf people who live in rural areas have almost no chance of finding accessible mental health services that don’t require a long and difficult journey. Conference welcomes […]

Securing the legacy of the year of disabled workers

Conference notes the success of UNISON’s Year of Disabled Workers 2022 and places on record our thanks to all of our disabled members and activists who have driven this success throughout our union. Through this year, we have seen renewed focus on the experience of disabled members in our union, in the workplace and in […]

Towards an inclusive Women’s Health Strategy

Conference notes the December 2021 government policy paper ‘Our Vision for the Women’s Health Strategy for England’, published after 100,000 women shared their personal experiences around the way the health and care system listens to women. The document looked at the approach to women’s health by putting women’s voices at the heart of this work. […]

Transport: Government fails again

Conference, using public transport is a major issue for Disabled Members. There are countless barriers to accessing trains, buses, taxis and any other kind of public transport you care to mention. Last year the government set out their plans for making transport more accessible in their National Disability Strategy. They claimed they would ‘improve the […]

Men and mental health

Conference suicide is the biggest cause of death for men under 50 in the UK. In 2020, 75% of those who took their own lives were male. 4,880 men and boys died by suicide, that equates to 12 deaths every day of the year. While people of all genders can experience mental health problems stigma […]

Uncovering the impact of Covid 19 on disabled members

Conference, many of our disabled members feel anxious and concerned about returning to the workplace following the pandemic. They are worried that they are being left vulnerable to Covid 19 after the government removed legal restrictions and access to free testing earlier this year. Members who were previously considered clinically vulnerable, have not been afforded […]

Levelling up

Conference expresses it’s deep scepticism and anger at the Tory government’s claim that they are levelling up the country. UNISON members and the communities in which they live will know only too well that it is the policies pursued by Tory governments that have resulted in the UK becoming one of the most unequal countries […]

White Ribbon Accreditation

Conference condemns all violent and abusive behaviour including bullying, harassment and discrimination. Evidence shows that the vast majority of people subjected to violent and abusive behaviour are women and girls and most perpetrators are men and boys. Despite this gender-based violence is still seen as a women’s issue. Conference recognises that this attitude needs to […]

Campaigning for a National Care Service

Conference notes the severe impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has exerted on the social care sector. Tens of thousands of elderly and disabled people have died from Covid-19 in care homes and other care settings across the UK since March 2020 and the death rate among care workers has been particularly high. The pandemic has […]

Post Glasgow COP26 – Decarbonising UK Public Services

Conference notes that last year UNISON supported the UK and global trade union movement at the United Nations 26th Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP26) held in Glasgow in November 2021. UNISON supported the International Trade Union Congress (ITUC) by participating in the UK’s observer delegation to the conference and played a successful active role […]

Trans Equality – Louder and Prouder!

The toxic debate ignited by the government’s consultation on reforming the Gender Recognition Act underlined the importance of our union supporting and representing trans members effectively. Attacks on trans people have escalated further over the last year. There has been a sustained attack on Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme and repeated false claims that Stonewall is […]

Combatting the Rise of Discrimination and Harassment Through Education

Conference notes with alarm the rise in discrimination and harassment in society and the workplace. Reported hate crimes have risen sharply across the UK. Compared to 2019/20 Police recorded figures for 2020/21 showing a 9 percent increase in England and Wales and a 6 percent increase in Scotland. Northern Ireland saw a 6 percent increase […]

Building the Union Organising for Our Future

Conference notes that UNISON membership surged in 2020 in response to government’s mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on vital public services and public service workers. However, as home working continued and workplace access remained restricted, UNISON’s workplace activity and visibility decreased. Following an initial surge in schools’ members in January 2021 rates […]

CEDAW – Essential for Women’s Rights

Conference recognises that CEDAW, the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, is significant in the international human rights framework because it is exclusively devoted to gender equality. It is one of the core international human rights treaties of the UN and it requires countries that have ratified it […]

Complaints

Conference notes: 1)That the workplace can be a very difficult situation for our members when they face disciplinary action and it can have an adverse impact on their physical and mental health and well-being. This can impact on them having unrealistic expectations as to what UNISON reps can do to resolve their workplace issues; 2)The […]