Hate Crime in Scotland

In 2006 the Scottish Executive removed homophobia (and disability) from hate crime legislation at the last minute, despite the recommendation of the Hate Crime Working Group that they be included. The Equality Network responded by saying “We’re extremely disappointed that two years after the Hate Crime Working Group recommended this change the Executive rejected it. […]

Insurance Cover for Retired Members on UNISON Business

Conference notes that, until recently, retired member officers and representatives, in common with all other UNISON officers and representatives, had UNISON insurance cover whilst on UNISON business. Conference now understands that cover for retired member officers and representatives have ceased under new arrangements. Conference instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee to ensure that insurance cover […]

Recruitment of Retired Members

Conference notes that regions and branches monitor their membership figures for working members on a regular basis in order to inform an ongoing recruitment campaign. However, there is no such process in place for retired members. Conference therefore calls on the National Retired Members’ Committee to: 1)carry out an audit of the total number of […]

The Rise of Fascism

Conference recognises that many retired members will know from their own personal experience the dangers of fascism. Conference notes that the British National Party (BNP) is organising in the West Midlands, East London and in other areas across the country in an attempt to have at least one BNP candidate elected at the next General […]

Standing Order 3 – Speaking

At the end of paragraph 3.1 add new sentence: “Any member of a regional Retired Members’ Committee attending the conference as a regional or branch delegate may be appointed by their regional Retired Members’ Committee to move a motion or amendment submitted by that regional Retired Members’ Committee.”

Cold Weather Deaths

Conference is concerned that the campaign to turn down heating thermostat settings conflicts with the advice to keep a warm home. Conference requests the National Retired Members Committee to seek, through the National Executive Council, assurances from the Government, and other interested bodies, that clear advice relating to elderly people is included in future heating […]

Equalities and Diversity

Conference notes that UNISON is a union committed to promoting equality and valuing diversity, and that these principles underpin all our organisational structure, policies and practice. These principles are enshrined in our nation rule book. Rule B1 Aims and Objectives, 1.2 and 1.3. Rule B2 Union Democracy, 2.3. They apply to all the union’s structures, […]

International Links

Conference recognises the outstanding role UNISON plays in the international trade union movement. UNISON recognises that Britain’s economy and political system are interdependent with Europe and the rest of the world, and that it is vital that UNISON works with sister trade unions in other countries and through key international organisations to promote and protect […]

Adult Learning

Conference condemns the decision to remove the entitlement to concessions for pensioners attending day and evening classes other than for those in receipt of pensions credit. For many decades all pensioners could access day and evening classes either free or at a nominal cost. This allowed many people who had not previously had access to […]

Increase in the Basic State Pension and Restoration of the Link

Conference regrets that in his March 2007 budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, again failed to increase the basic state pension to restore its value if the link to average earnings had not been broken by Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative Government. Pensioners should have an immediate rise now to restore the pension value and […]

Role of Retired Members in UNISON

Conference recognises the different role and contribution of retired members to their working counterparts and accepts that their involvement in UNISON is more limited. However, Conference believes that many retired members still have much to offer the union and that their preclusion from almost all aspects of its work is not necessarily in UNISON’s best […]

Women, Rape, Alcohol and the Law

COMPOSITE C – WOMEN RAPE ALCOHOL AND THE LAW (Emergency Motion – Alcohol & Rape of Women and Emergency Motion 4 – Who’s Perverting the Course of Justice? Under current English and Welsh law rape can only be established if it can be demonstrated that sexual intercourse took place without consent and that the defendant […]

Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is the fourth most common cause of death from cancer amongst women in the United Kingdom (UK) and is known as the silent killer. One-hundred women die each week from ovarian cancer; it is the fourth most common cancer in women, and the biggest gynaecological killer. Every year about 6,000 women in the […]

Cuts to Health Services for Women

The National Health Service (NHS) is in crisis. Much of the government’s injection of additional investment has ended up in the pockets of private companies. The end result of government policies has been job losses, cuts, closures and privatisation. Women form the majority of the workforce in the NHS, and are also disproportionately represented in […]

IPSWICH MURDERS

Conference sends out its deepest sympathies to the families of the young women recently murdered in Ipswich by a serial killer preying on women working in the sex industry. These tragedies highlight once again the vulnerability of women, who for whatever reason, are out and about at night. On November 25th 2006, the Eastern Region […]