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. […]
Conference motions
Conference welcomes progress made by UNISON over many years in campaigning and negotiating for equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender plus (LGBT+) people both in work and in society. Despite these advances, many transgender people still experience serious abuse and discrimination on a daily basis, including in their workplaces. A disproportionate number of trans […]
Conferences notes the cost of living crisis which will disproportionately impact on disabled people. Even before the pandemic, disability related expenses or the ‘disability price tag’ was on average £583 extra per month compare to non-disabled people, according to the 2019 Scope Disability Price Tag report. One in five faced extra costs of more than […]
Conference notes that drug and alcohol addiction can happen to anyone. Disabled and Deaf people can also become addicted to drugs and alcohol. However, for many Deaf people who become addicted, there is nowhere to turn for help. The services that exist are already overstretched and underfunded, but added to this they are very unlikely […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
SOCIAL CARE Conference notes that from April 2022 National Insurance contributions have risen by 1.5% supposedly to help meet the cost of the NHS and also to provide additional funding for Social Care. Conference further notes that money is unlikely to be available for Social Care in the first instance. Prime Minister Johnson has always […]
World War Two, the Coronavirus pandemic plus years of Conservative Government has had a devastating effect on Unison retired members. We receive one of the worst state pensions in Europe even though the UK is one of the richest countries in the world. When we reach the age of 80 we get an extra 25 […]
Conference is only too aware having a UNISON steward to advocate in the workplace during difficult times for our members can mean all the difference in the world for outcomes in disciplinaries, grievances and potential dismissals. Having a Commissioner to advocate for Older People has the very same potential to make substantial changes which can […]
This Conference acknowledges the substantial financial and other support given by the union for UNISON retired members activity, e.g. Retired Members’ Conference, and its other democratic structures and activities, providing staff resources, etc. This Conference recognises, however, that the level of support is not consistent across all branches and regions, and that this can lead […]
Conference recognises that it’s been nearly 2 years now since the BBC announced its intention to remove the free TV licence provision from the over 75s in 2020 [having been forced by the Conservative government to take over the funding of this social benefit]. Since then, the protests have never stopped! Groups including Age UK, […]
Conference is concerned that over at least the last 5 there has been regressive changes to the state and other pension provision and to benefits older people are entitled to, including 165,606 UNISON retired members Just now more than 12 million older people in receipt of the State Pension are worse off after the Government […]
This Conference notes that it has debated many motions over recent years on elderly social care. Everyone is aware of poor pay and training for staff; inadequate care for elderly people needing this help in residential and nursing homes or in their own home. There is a large turnover of care staff and this has […]