The Ongoing Campaign Around Blood, Organ and Bone Marrow Donation

Conference notes that Resolution 92, passed at the UNISON National Delegate Conference 2006, called for a review of research that currently means the National Blood Service bans Gay or Bisexual men from donating blood. Conference further notes that the resolution also asks that UNISON has effective input into any National Blood Service review of the […]

Participation and Confidentiality

Conference notes that participation and confidentiality in relation to attendance at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Conference is paramount. Conference is therefore dismayed by the decision to add the Police Staff Service Group Seminar and Conference onto the ‘back’ of our Conference. This decision raises serious concerns of confidentiality in that there is […]

Anti-British National Party

Conference reaffirms that campaigning against the far right is – and must remain – a UNISON priority. The British National Party (BNP) gains in the May 2006 local elections in England are a stark warning that our efforts need to be increased. The BNP gained 32 new seats, including 11 (possibly rising to 12, following […]

Terror Raid in Forest Gate

Conference notes with concern: 1)the raid involving 250 police that took place in Forest Gate, Newham, on Friday, 2 June, in which a young man was shot and two young men, one of them a member of the UCW, were arrested and held under anti-terror laws without charge or any evidence of any kind of […]

Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution

Conference congratulates and supports the colossal advances being made by the Venezuelan Revolution under President Hugo Chavez in carrying out policies, which benefit working people, the poor and the landless. Conference recognises that the nine electoral victories won by Hugo Chavez since 1998, provides the Revolution with an overwhelming mandate. This reflects the overwhelming support […]

No Trident Replacement

National Delegate Conference notes: 1)the Trident submarine nuclear weapons system was introduced into Britain in 1994 and will reach the end of its life in 2024. The system is composed of four nuclear-armed submarines, each carrying up to 48 nuclear warheads. Each warhead has an explosive power of up to 100 kilotons – eight times […]

Council Housing

Conference notes with alarm the increasingly desperate situation with housing supply and the ongoing decline of council housing. There are now over 100,000 households in temporary accommodation awaiting rehousing; roughly half a million households on council waiting lists and rising numbers of people living in increasingly overcrowded, poor and unsanitary conditions. Households are now paying […]

Organising for the Future – UNISON’s Strategy for Inter Union Relations

Conference reaffirms UNISON’s founding vision that our Union should organise all employees working directly or indirectly in the provision of public services in the United Kingdom. UNISON believes that strong union organisation is the best way to safeguard quality public services and workplace rights. Conference notes the continuing merger and realignment of trade unions, nationally […]

Are Retired LGBT Members Invisible

This Conference is concerned that when LGBT members retire from the workplace they become invisible and therefore sidelined. Many of them will have been active within the union movement and taken part in major campaigns. The dynamism shown by UNISONS own LGBT section is proof of what its membership is capable of. Many of the […]

Offshoring in Energy

Conference notes with concern the growing number of energy utilities deciding to offshore work overseas. In the last twelve months npower, British Gas and Vertex have publicly announced their offshoring plans, each leading to significant reductions in their UK workforce. This trend is largely stimulated by the competitive pressures of the liberalised UK energy market […]

Pensions – Fighting for our Retirement

Conference recognises the right of members in Energy to retire on a decent secure pension. Conference expresses its concern that some Energy Companies are attempting to eliminate or worsen early retirement provisions to the detriment of members. Conference believes that all employers should be required to offer an occupational pension scheme that employees should automatically […]

Closer joint working between Transport and Water and Environment Service Group Executive

Conference notes that the NEC is undertaking a major review of Service Group and branch structures in line with the motion carried at last year’s National Delegate Conference. A Working Party has been established with representatives of the NEC and all the service groups. Conference further notes that discussions between the Water and Environment, Transport […]

Pensions

Conference confirms its strong belief that good, non-discriminatory, occupational pension schemes available to all employees are an essential part of the modern reward package. Conference believes that all employers should be required to offer an occupational pension scheme which employees should automatically join with a right to opt out if desired. Conference notes the ongoing […]

Fair and Affordable Water

Conference welcomes the publication of the report ‘Fair and Affordable Water’ commissioned by UNISON from the Centre for Utility Consumer Law at Leicester University. The present basis on which domestic consumers pay for their water and sewage services is unsustainable and unfair. A growing number of consumers have chosen to opt for meters but the […]

The UK Government’s Energy Review

Conference welcomes UNISON’s response to the Government’s Energy Review. We note that contrary to the growing clamour for a nuclear renaissance that there is no proven economic or environmental case for doing so. Conference believes that there remains an untapped potential to reduce the UK’s dependency on energy through energy conservation and savings measures. Conference […]