PENSIONERS AND PROSTATE CANCER

At a previous National Retired Members Conference, the delegates noted a resolution high-lighting the fact that prostate cancer in men is a real matter of concern as the prostate cancer has overtaken lung cancer as the single most common cancer in all men in the UK and accounts for 24% of all new cancer diagnosis. […]

National Pensioners’ Convention

The National Pensioners Convention (NPC) is Britain’s biggest independent campaigning organisation for older people representing 1.5 million pensioners from both Unions and Pensioners Groups nationwide. The NPC’s main objective is to promote the welfare and interests of today and future pensioners, as a way of securing dignity, respect and financial security for all pensioners. Conference […]

Volunteer Community Support Officers

Conference is extremely concerned that Lincolnshire Police have introduced the first Volunteer Police Community Support Officers (VPCSOs) in the country. This is despite Lincolnshire Police losing 4.7% of their paid Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) during the period 2010 to 2013. Conference notes that Volunteers are not accountable to the public in the way paid […]

Free Social Care in England

Conference supports integrating health and social care services providing the principal aim of doing so is to improve the quality of services particularly for older people. Conference believes that services can only be successfully integrated if social care is made, like health, free at the point of need. Conference therefore welcomes: 1. The Labour Party’s […]

An end to discrimination

Conference notes that there continues to be discrimination in both the state and occupational pensions for many of our retired members. In particular, women pensioners continue to receive a much smaller pension, on average, than men. There is also discrimination in the benefits to partners of LGBT Elders. Conference instructs the National Retired Members Committee […]

Generations United

This Conference deplores the deliberate attacks made to create a division in society between older people and the young generation. In particular, Conference condemns the attacks made upon the “baby boomer” generation. Conference noted that other organisations such as the National Pensioners Convention are attempting to bridge any divisions with a “Generations United” Campaign. Conference […]

Northern Ireland Peace Process

Conference is alarmed at the growing levels of sectarianism and division and continued and escalating violence and intimidation which is destabilising the peace process in Northern Ireland. Conference applauds the public stance taken by the Irish trade union movement currently led in Northern Ireland by UNISON. On the 31st January trade unionists led a public […]

Promoting Political Education and Developing Activists

Discussion, debate and learning from one another are both at the heart of trade union education and are central to engaging people in union activity. Debate on the history of trade union struggle and the impact of political and economic change on working people and on women and minority groups in particular has always been […]

An NHS for the Future

With the NHS having celebrated its 65th birthday in 2013, Conference believes it is necessary to reassert its importance as one of the few remaining symbols of social solidarity left in the UK. Conference condemns the government for having subjected the NHS to almost constant attack since it took office in 2010 – whether through […]

Support to Stewards in UNISON

Conference recognises that the role our shop stewards play in supporting members at work through discipline, grievance, absence procedures, changes to jobs, etc. can be very stressful on the individual stewards themselves. We recognise that stewards are often supporting members who have significant mental health issues. This can include members who consider suicide. The pressure […]

Stop Probation Privatisation

Conference condemns the Tory-led Coalition Government’s plans to split the probation service to create a small national probation agency for England and Wales to manage high risk cases whilst leaving the majority of the work to the private sector. The plans would see the dismantling of the 35 current probation trusts, who will not be […]

Rebuilding Local Democracy

Conference reaffirms our opposition to the sustained attack on local public services and the public service workers who deliver them – including brutal cuts to local government funding made by a Tory-led government pursuing an ideological agenda that rivals the Thatcher attack on councils in the 1980’s. Despite David Cameron saying councils were “officially the […]

Tackling Stress in Energy Workplaces

Conference welcomes the work done over many years by UNISON negotiators and reps in energy to highlight and tackle workplace stress. Conference is concerned that the current climate, with persistent threat to jobs, is placing particular stresses on energy members. There is micro-management, ever more pressure to meet targets, with fewer staff expected to get […]

Celebrating Equality in Energy Workplaces

Conference notes that workplace equality issues are often portrayed as difficult to handle, a minority interest and all about discrimination and prejudice. Conference believes that equality is not a problem but rather is something to celebrate in our energy workplaces. By celebrating equality and celebrating diversity we can help end the invisibility, isolation and marginalisation […]

Storms of Protest

As 2013 drew to an end, many homes and businesses in the United Kingdom were affected by severe weather disruptions on unprecedented scales. Many domestic residences were without power at the most inconvenient time of the year with Christmas fast approaching and further severe weather warnings imminent. Most distribution network organisations were able to plan […]