Building on our recruitment campaign

Conference welcomes the major recruitment drive whose aim has been to strengthen the union in order to defend better our member’s interests and campaign even more effectively in defence of public services. Conference believes that the next stage of this work must be to step up the union’s work to bring more members into active […]

Kick It Out – Racism has no place in football

With the events of racism being highlighted amongst several high profile football players, it is clear that the game has some way to go to shed itself of this vile and evil mindset. When FIFA president Sepp Blatter under played the significance of racism in the game it raised concerns about his ability to deal […]

Fighting privatisation

Conference welcomes and applauds the actions of branches, branch officers, regions, the Police and Justice Service Group Executive, its committees and staff in opposing privatisation across the Police and Probation Services in 2012. Events have shown that campaigning against privatisation does work and that public opinion is on our side and not on the side […]

Rule K Qualifications

Amendment to K 2(i): Delete “member knowing that she/he had need of legal assistance and seeks” and insert “incident or occurrence that leads to her/him seeking legal assistance.”

Decolonising LGBT equality: aid conditionality and LGBT human rights

Conference notes with concern the statement by UK Prime Minister David Cameron that overseas aid should be cut to countries which criminalise homosexuality. Conference notes that UNISON is opposed to such aid conditionality. Conference believes that it would not advance lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) human rights or equality but rather would create a […]

UNISON women – active, campaigning, leading

UNISON is proud to be the leading trade union for women. We have a solid history of women being at the heart of the union; through enshrining self organisation into our rule book along with proportionality. As a union which has a majority of women members we do not just talk the talk. Women are […]

Solidarity with Nicaragua

UNISON notes the long standing friendship between UNISON and UNE, the Nicaraguan Public Service Trade Union, and the strengthening of that relationship in recent years. It also applauds the progress made by the Sandinista government since being elected in 2007 towards social and economic justice in Nicaragua. In the present harsh climate for trade unions […]

A National Health Service means no to postcode pay

Conference notes with concern and anger the threat to health workers, their families, patients, communities and our National Health Service that has been represented by the Pay Cartel in the South West (aka the Pay Consortium). Conference further notes the ongoing threat posed by NHS Employers across the country who unilaterally or in collaboration with […]

Welfare cuts

The Coalition government’s attempt to cut billions from the welfare budget will have a devastating impact on low income households across the UK in the period ahead and in so doing, create a divided society in which Victorian themes of the deserving and undeserving poor are used. Conference notes in particular that: 1) the provisions […]

Employment and trade union rights

Conference is angry at the Coalition government’s continued attacks on individual and trade union employment rights that have been stepped up this year and calls on the National Executive Council to lead a campaign to reverse policies that have laid waste to our economy, our public services and the living standards of our members since […]

NHS and social care integration

Conference condemns the failure of political leaders to grasp the nettle and implement a long-term sustainable solution to the funding deficit in social care. The numbers of people who need social care and support are continuing to rise as a result of the ageing population and medical advances which have improved life expectancy. But the […]

Alternatives to austerity

Conference finds no joy in being proved right that the Coalitions austerity programme continues to cause a slump. Final UK growth is forecast by the Chancellor for minus 0.1 percent in 2012 and optimistically for 1.2% in 2013. The Quantitative Easing scheme run by Bank of England has propped up the financial firms with cheap […]

UNISON response to the far right after Woolwich

Conference condemns the brutal murder of Lee Rigby, a serving soldier, in Woolwich on Wednesday 22nd May. Conference pays tribute to the family of Lee Rigby who have appealed for no reprisal attacks to take place in his name and pays tribute to the many people that attempted to intervene before the emergency services arrived. […]

State pension

Conference recognises that many UNISON members, especially low paid and part-time workers, receive very low occupational pensions and many of our members chose not to join the occupational schemes at all. It is important that UNISON remembers that these members are still very reliant on the state pension for their livelihood in retirement. Conference notes […]

NHS Campaigning

The creation of the NHS in 1948 was one of the greatest achievements of the post war Labour government. The founding principles were that health care should be funded from taxation and delivered free at the point of use. Since its creation the NHS has come under attack from successive Tory governments. However, since the […]