Contractor Deaths on Water Sites

This Water and Environment Conference is very concerned about the decline in safety standards on sites such as those managed by United Utilities whereby three sub-contractors (including one aged 17) have died since Autumn 2003″. We call upon UNISON’s lay and paid officials on the (National) Water and Environment Service Group Executive with responsibility for […]

Call Centre Sickness and Stress

This Conference believes that the Data Protection Act and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act should -provide its membership with personal protection equal to that of the Human Rights Act. We believe that the high sickness levels within call centre employees has direct links with the oppressive environment, constant supervision and targets set within this […]

Negotiating an End to Disability Discrimination

This Energy Conference applauds the work undertaken by UNISON’s National Disabled Members Committee to promote negotiated agreements that make provision for Disability Leave. However, we are concerned that there is no adequate legislative provision to compel Energy employers to disregard disability- related absence and the consequence of this in relation to sickness absence procedures. There […]

Furthering Our Equalities Work in the Business and Environment Service Groups

Conference welcomes the developing programme of work on equalities in the Business and Environment Service Groups, led at national level by the Business and Environment Equal Opportunities Working Group, in liaison with the national self-organised group committees. Conference notes the positive impact this has had on organisation of lesbian and gay members at branch, regional […]

Investment in Public Transport

This Conference welcomes recent initiatives by the Government to invest in public transport within West Yorkshire, such as YellowBus, Yorcard and real time information, but notes with great concern that this is insufficient to redress the Tory legacy of inadequate investment in public transport provision. This Conference also notes that despite the recent problems with […]

Review of the National Lay Membership Structure

This Conference notes the actions taken to date by the Executive regarding the review of the Energy, Transport and Water & Environment service group structures at national level. Conference notes the outcome of the consultation exercise with all three service groups and in the light of this agrees that further work is necessary subject to […]

Black Children’s Educational Needs

The Issue of Racism in the Twentieth Century

Conference notes the recent BBC programme blowing the whistle by extremists among Greater Manchester Police recruits. A member of one of the Manchester Local Authority equal opportunity forums indicated that he was horrified that one of the forums had not met in over a year at a time when equal opportunities and race issues are […]

Asserting Rights Under Race Relations Act(s)

Text removed for legal reasons

Facility Time Off for Self-Organised Group Members

Currently members are finding it extremely difficult to attend and be actively involved in UNISON. Members have been continuously forced to take annual leave or flexi-time off for UNISON activities. Let us not have a separatist union of Them and Us. If UNISON is serious about equality then it should follow its own equality policies, […]

Racism in UNISON

Conference believes all UNISON branches must have clear and transparent policies on equal opportunity and self-organisation groups firmly written into their branch rules. 1)National Black Members’ Committee (NBMC) and National Executive Council (NEC) to endorse the above recommendations with a growing need to tackle racial discrimination or any other form of discrimination within UNISON. 2)To […]

Institutional Racism:Learning from Experience

Conference welcomes the publication of the report Cyclonic Organisation Authority, Culture and Racism by Lambeth Council and of the report of the Lambeth Scrutiny Commission on Racism. We note that UNISON co-operated in the publication of both of these reports, which highlighted the problem of institutional racism in Lambeth Council. Conference further welcomes the decision […]

Promotion and Opportunities for Black Employees in Public Services

Conference believes that there is a ceiling of opportunities for promotion of black employees within the public services, in health and local government. The rate of black employees as compared to the black population within the public service employment falls below the acceptable level. Despite the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, which requires public service […]

UNISON’s Opposition to Institutional Racism

Conference notes that this, our tenth anniversary year also sees the tenth anniversary of the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence. We therefore welcome the fact that the National Executive Council has decided that this year our underlying anniversary theme will be opposing racism and promoting equality. Conference welcomes the fact that UNISON has developed an […]

Promoting Equality Increasing National Black Members’ Committee Motions to National Delegate Conference

Conference notes that since the formation of UNISON vesting day self-organised groups have been enabled to send two motions to our union’s sovereign decision-making body, its National Delegate Conference, which takes place annually every June. Conference, the National Black Members’ Committee feels that in order for self-organised groups to be more effective at UNISON’s National […]