Anti-Terrorism Act

Conference welcomes the return to the UK of the British citizens who have been held without trial in Guantanamo Bay but believes that the practice of detaining such suspects without trial should never be tolerated. Conference therefore welcomes the growing number of voices calling for this practice to be ended in the UK. Conference especially […]

Identity Cards

The government has admitted that the introduction of compulsory identity cards and the establishment of a National Identity Register will not in itself overcome international terrorism. Likewise, it has been admitted that benefit fraud is only a tiny part of the problem in the benefit system. Given the cost of introducing the scheme and the […]

Social Worker Registration

Social workers are now required to register with the General Social Care Council in order to practice legally, and this registration has to be renewed every three years. In so doing they have to complete extensive registration documents that amongst other things ask personal questions within a medical declaration that includes disability status. When completing […]

The Social Model of Disability

Many UNISON disabled members that could potentially disadvantage them in the workplace do not identify their individual access requirements. The Disability Discrimination Act definition of a disabled person has recently been extended to define people with MS, HIV and cancer as disabled from a point of diagnosis. We welcome this legislative change as a signal […]

Developing a UNISON Vision for the NHS

Conference notes that, despite the record levels of investment going into the National Health Service (NHS), many NHS patients and staff are failing to experience the improvements that should be occurring. Too often, there exists a gap between the rhetoric about the positive changes that are supposed to be taking place in the NHS and […]

Rule D.2.5 Young Members Seat

Delete all before “there”

Rule G.2.1.3 The Branch Committee

After “Equality Officer(s)” insert “, Welfare Officer”

Tackling Pay Discrimination for Black and Minority Ethnic Workers

Conference is appalled to note the results of the government’s appointed Ethnic Minority Employment Task Force investigation into pay and employment for black and minority ethnic workers. We note the findings that: 1)there is a substantial pay gap between ethnic minorities and the whole population. Weekly earnings for white workers average £376, compared with £347 […]

Public Services

Conference notes extra public spending announced in 2004 Spending Review, particularly the £40 billion extra investment in the National Health Service (NHS) and believes that this could make a major difference to public services. However it cannot while the government continues a variety of trends and initiatives, marketisation, choice, privatisation, efficiency reviews, PFI and cuts […]

Efficiency Reviews

Conference notes that there are efficiency reviews across the governments of the United Kingdom (UK), driven by the 2004 spending review. In Whitehall departments, this simultaneously expanded public spending but demanded £20 billion of efficiencies in services controlled by Whitehall departments as a result of a report by Sir Peter Gershon. Conference is alarmed that […]

Rule D.2.6.1 Elections

Delete all after “later” and insert “.”

Schedule B Members’ Benefits

Delete existing Schedule B Replace with new Schedule B “Schedule B: Members’ benefits 1SCOPE OF MEMBERS’ BENEFITS The Union provides three distinct areas of assistance to support members. 1.1Rule book benefits listed in paragraph 2.1.1 are intended to provide a one off responsive service within a set range of criteria. 1.2Grants for education and training […]

Rule M.1 4 Trustees of Welfare Fund

Delete all of M.1.4 and insert: “1.4 Trustees of UNISON Welfare The UNISON Welfare Board of Trustees shall include NEC members who shall comprise no less than 50% of the membership elected by that body in such manner as it sees fit. Any vacancy in the Board of Trustees may be filled by the National […]

Rule F.1 List of Regions

F.1 insert “Cymru/” before “Wales”

Attacks on Public Sector Pension Schemes

Conference is alarmed at the attacks from the employers and the government on public sector pension schemes. This commenced last year with proposals to significantly reduce the benefits of the local government scheme including raising the age at which pensions would be payable. The government has now issued proposals for consultation which affect most public […]