Rule L.2 Members’ Benefits

Delete L.2 and insert new L 2: “.2 The National Executive Council shall take all steps necessary to ensure that the charity – UNISON Welfare, is adequately funded to meet its responsibilities. Within the Constitution and Rules of UNISON Welfare a range of services may be provided as determined by the Board of Trustees, including […]

Rule G.2.2.3 The Branch Committee

Add new Rule G.2.2.3: “.3shall organise around workplace learning and co-ordinate the activities of learning representatives;”

NO2ID

Conference calls upon the government to immediately cease all further development of, and legislation for, national identity cards and the National Identity Register. Conference further welcomes the decision of the Scottish Executive not to make ID cards compulsory for accessing devolved public services. We believe the proposals constitute an attack on individual rights and freedoms. […]

Rule G.4.1.1 Branches

After “Young Members Officer” insert “, Welfare Officer”

Repeal of Political Fund Review Ballot Legislation

Conference welcomes the overwhelming vote of UNISON members by 85 per cent to retain UNISON Political Fund, and further notes that virtually every union which has been obliged to hold a review ballot in the last year has secured a decisive majority in favour of retention of a political fund. For most unions this represents […]

Pension Fund Investments and Trade Union Organisation

Conference notes that workers’ pensions and savings are invested in publicly quoted companies around the world. Even after the stock market slump, in 2002, workers’ retirement savings and pension funds totalled more than US$11 trillion. Large institutional investors, pension funds, insurance companies and mutual funds, together own a majority share in most of the world’s […]

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 […]

Women and Pensions

Conference recognises that changes to the state pension system in recent years in terms of contributions, retirement age and earnings on which pensions are based place women at an unfair disadvantage. The existing state pension alone is insufficient to provide for basic needs and requires a large number of recipients to undergo the humiliation of […]

Apprenticeships and the National Minimum Wage

Conference notes that nearly 250,000 young people are engaged in an apprenticeship, formerly modern apprenticeships, with a significant proportion of these on public sector apprenticeship schemes. Apprenticeships give opportunities to young people and can bring new people into the public services, can provide progression routes to higher level skills and qualifications, and can also have […]

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in the Workplace

Conference welcomes the increased profile of lesbian and gay workplace issues in the work of many parts of our union, while acknowledging that there is still much to be done. Conference recognises that UNISON’s ability to organise, negotiate and campaign effectively on equality issues flows directly from its commitment to self-organisation. Conference notes that since […]

National Day for Remembrance of Slavery

Conference calls upon the National Executive Council to support the Trade Union Congress in their call for government to recognise 23 August as the National Day for the Remembrance of Slavery. This date marks a crucial event in the fight against slavery and the uprising in St Domingo in 1791. The United Nations marked 2004 […]