Proportional Representation at Retired Members’ Conference

Retired Members’ Conference 2003 passed a motion which instructed the National Retired Members’ Committee to submit proposals to the 2004 Conference, to establish a fair quota system for branch attendance at future Retired Members’ Conferences. No proposals were submitted to that Conference. Conference, therefore, instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee to implement a quota system […]

Pensions – Fighting for our Retirement

Conference recognises the right of members in Energy to retire on a decent secure pension. Conference expresses its concern that some Energy Companies are attempting to eliminate or worsen early retirement provisions to the detriment of members. Conference believes that all employers should be required to offer an occupational pension scheme that employees should automatically […]

Offshoring in Energy

Conference notes with concern the growing number of energy utilities deciding to offshore work overseas. In the last twelve months npower, British Gas and Vertex have publicly announced their offshoring plans, each leading to significant reductions in their UK workforce. This trend is largely stimulated by the competitive pressures of the liberalised UK energy market […]

The Disability Equality Duty

This Energy Conference welcomes the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 which will impose a new Disability Equality Duty upon energy employers from December 2006. We believe these duties could help reconstruct a barrier free society and provide equality of opportunity for the millions of disabled people who are in work or wanting work but who need […]

Developing an Effective LGBT Equality Strategy for Energy

Conference welcomes the growing recognition of the need to combat discrimination against LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) workers and the agreements reached with some energy employers to integrate work towards LGBT equality into their equality programmes. Conference further notes that some energy employers are seeking to introduce monitoring of workers’ sexual orientation and / […]

Blood Donations in Energy Workplaces

Male Energy members who work in the electricity and gas industries who have tried to donate blood have found that the National Blood Service has a ‘blanket’ ban in place against men who have ever had sex with other men, and so they are advised in their workplaces that their blood will not be accepted […]

The UK Government’s Energy Review

Conference welcomes UNISON’s response to the Government’s Energy Review. We note that contrary to the growing clamour for a nuclear renaissance that there is no proven economic or environmental case for doing so. Conference believes that there remains an untapped potential to reduce the UK’s dependency on energy through energy conservation and savings measures. Conference […]

LGBT Conference

This conference welcomes welcome the increased participation by Energy Members at the 2005 LGBT Conference in Belfast. The Business and Environment Equal Opportunities Working Group (BEEOWG) has successfully engaged with Branches and Regions to raise the LGBT profile within Energy through specific LGBT events and, more recently, the successful Equalities Day. Conference is disappointed however […]

Rule Q Definitions

In Q Fair Representation Delete all and replace with “Fair representation is the broad balance of representation of members of the electorate, taking into account such factors as age and low pay, the balance between full time and part time workers, manual and non-manual workers, different occupations, skills, race, sexual orientation, disability and gender identity.”

Regional Governance in England

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 […]

UNISON Learning and Organising

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 […]

Rule D1.3.1 National Delegate Conference: Composition

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”

Public Policy and the Promotion of Equality of Opportunity

Conference notes with concern the recent findings of the Commission for Racial Equality on the spectacular failure of government departments and public bodies to meet, in the most elementary way, the statutory duty on the promotion of racial equality. This failure impacts on UNISON members as service users and employees. Application of a similar but […]

Trade Union Freedom Bill

Conferences recognises and welcomes the many individual rights introduced since 1997. However, Conference believes that the time is now right to progress from an individual rights agenda to one based on collective rights. With that in mind, Conference welcomes and supports the call for a Trade Union Freedom Bill. Conference recalls that 103 years ago, […]

Rule D3.7.5 Sectors

D3.7.5 Delete all