FREE TV LICENCE FOR THE OVER 75-YEAR-OLDS

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, […]

HEAT OR EAT?

Conference notes that in 2022 energy giants Shell and BP made a combined profit of £40 billion while at the same time around 1 million older households were experiencing fuel poverty. It is estimated that rising fuel prices will push an extra 150,000 older households into fuel poverty by the coming winter. Conference further notes […]

THREAT TO FREE PRESCRIPTIONS

Conference notes that the Government is still considering raising the age of free prescriptions in England from 60 to 66, in line with the increasing State Pension age. The changes would mean that as many as 2.4 million people aged 60 to 65 would have to start paying for antibiotics, illness treatments and more at […]

WIDESPREAD DISRUPTION OF HEALTHCARE DURING THE PANDEMIC

Conference notes that data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing shows that many of the over-50 population were unable to access health care services during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in England. A sixth of older people reported having hospital treatment cancelled, with an additional one in ten unable to visit or […]

OUR NHS. PRIVATISATION BY STEALTH

The number of people who can remember what health provision was like for ordinary working people before Aneurin Bevan created the National Health Service diminishes year by year. His vision of free medical treatment for everyone “from the cradle to the grave” is as powerful now as it was in 1948. Obviously as time has […]

THE UK STATE PENSION

Pensioners are people who have served the country as employees, parents, volunteers and carers throughout their working lives and many continue to do so in retirement. Most do not have an organised way to press for justice in retirement although some are fortunate to be retired members of organisations such as Unison. On retirement they […]

Cost of Living Crisis and its Impact on Energy Workers

Conference notes that as a result of rapidly increasing wholesale gas prices, the price of energy for consumers and businesses in the UK has also significantly increased. Further it notes that the energy price cap which regulates the default tariffs has been increased by some 54% by the energy regulator OFGEM. This is the tariff […]

A balanced Energy System fit for the future, employing our members in good jobs!

Conference notes that in November 2021 the UK hosted the COP 26 in Glasgow. At this COP the UK again committed itself to achieving Net Zero by 2050 which itself is a statutory target which the UK Government should be working towards achieving. UNISON energy workers know already that achieving Net Zero will be hard […]

Encouraging STEM subject study to increase numbers of women working in technical roles in Energy

Research shows that at GCSE level engagement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects has a broadly similar gender split. At this level female students are achieving higher or equal average A*-C grades compared to males. At A Level this drops off with a higher number of males taking up STEM subjects, for example […]

Increasing diversity within Energy

Conference picture someone working in the energy sector, and you are likely to mentally summon up an image of a white, middle-aged male. Although a lack of diversity isn’t unique to energy, it is an issue that needs solving. While the situation is improving, it’s not changing fast enough, recent events have rightly woken up […]

Retired Members Conference

This conference supports the good work of the Retired members National committee in organising the National Retired Members conference. We note that over the last few years it was not possible to debate many submitted motions due to time constraints. This conference requests the NEC to work with the National Retired Members committee to investigate […]

Retired members and technology

It is becoming increasingly apparent that some Unison retired members in Branches and Regions are experiencing difficulties in communicating with colleagues as they are not computer literate or able to afford computers. Therefore, this Unison National Retired Members Conference instructs the National Retired Members Committee and calls on the National Executive Council to: 1)be aware […]

Ageism in a Covid Age

This Retired Members’ Conference recognises that ageism exists, and that ageism is a bias from one age group towards another. It includes the use of stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination against people based on their age. Evidence shows ageism is widespread in society and can be found everywhere from our workplaces and health systems to the […]

Disappointed if you fail, doomed if you don’t try

The past year, particularly for pensioners, has been incredibly difficult. In its report entitled ‘As if expendable’, Amnesty International claims that during the first three months of the pandemic, thousands of pensioners died due to government incompetence. Free TV licences were withdrawn for most of those of 75 plus years, the triple lock protection on […]

PENSIONER POVERTY

Conference notes that many pensioners live in poverty and have a precarious existence. Many pensioners did not have access to an occupational pension and many remain unaware that they can claim pension credit to increase their income. The UK state pension is one of the lowest in the developed world. Women are particularly affected by […]