Conference notes this government’s official policy of creating a ‘hostile environment’ for non-EU migrants who are predominantly Black. This attempt to make life unbearable for undocumented migrants manifests itself in a growing network of immigration controls across society, including immigration checks to access public services, welfare benefits, healthcare and housing. The Windrush scandal has demonstrated […]
Conference motions
Conference notes that not all UNISON disabled members define themselves as either male or female. A growing number of our members instead define themselves as non-binary. For UNISON disabled members who identify as non-binary, the existing structures and practices within the union may not acknowledge their identity and may create a feeling of exclusion from […]
Conference notes that “neurodiversity” is a relatively new term that refers to people who have dyslexia, autism, ADHD, dyspraxia or other related conditions that may also stem from a neurological impairment. People with these conditions have a wide range of characteristics but may also share some common features in terms of how they learn and […]
Conference notes the recent House of Commons Library report on the Disability Employment gap which highlights that just 49% of disabled people between 16 and 64 years old are in employment, compared to over 80% for non disabled people. The disability employment gap therefore stands at over 31%. For Deaf people in particular, finding and […]
Conference notes that British Sign Language interpreters are regulated by the National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind people (NRCPD). They hold registers of interpreters for deafblind people, lipspeakers, notetakers, sign language interpreters, sign language translators and speech to text reporters. Conference supports a registration system as a way of ensuring interpreters […]
Neurodiversity is now becoming the recognised name for a group of conditions which affect the brain’s cognitive abilities. The conditions under this umbrella term include Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, and Dyscalculia, but this is still a developing area of discussion. Some conditions are lifelong and some can be brought on […]
In SO15.1.6 after ‘Labour Party Conference’ insert ‘and are Labour Party Members, and’
Conference notes that mental health is an issue for lots of our members as employers fail to make reasonable adjustments to sickness absence policies or to disciplinary and performance management policies. Bullying and harassment of members with mental health problems also continues in our workplaces. As reps we often have to listen and be all […]
Conference, since 1981, workplaces have been required to provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and people, to ensure that employees can be given immediate help if they are injured or taken ill at work. Yet in 2018, there is still no requirement for employers to provide mental health first aid assistance to employees. […]
This conference believes that our National Disabled Members’ Committee and UNISON should celebrate Disability History Month on an annual basis. Disability history month was set up in 2010 to provide a platform to focus on the work that has been done to fight for equality for disabled people. Each year the month has a theme […]
Conference recognises that there is an increasing amount of our healthcare members working shifts of 10-12 hours plus. There are a variety of reasons why staff are working these shift patterns. For some it is a matter of personal choice and allows them to balance work and life commitments such as caring responsibilities. However, for […]
Conference notes that due to the policies of the Coalition and recent Conservative Governments that the training of registered members of Healthcare staff is in a precarious state. An effect of the Government’s abolition of the bursary for Students has led to a substantial fall in the number of applicants for the Nursing degree. According […]
Conference notes that stress in the workplace is a long standing problem for NHS staff, and research (Hannah Flynn 2016) indicates that almost 9 in 10 practice nurses, GPs and other primary care workers find their work life stressful, leading to some to have suicidal thoughts. Conference believes that health staff are in responsible positions […]
Conference notes that those who work in our NHS come from across the world with different experiences, backgrounds and beliefs, working together to deliver the best services possible. Conference believes that there is no room for racism in the NHS, yet unfortunately is aware of an increase in racist incidents following the EU referendum last […]
Mental health services have been underfunded in the UK for a number of years, having a negative impact on both staff and service users. Funding cuts mean that teams are often under resourced, with staff working long hours and struggling to deliver the highest levels of care. Service users are left on long waiting lists […]