Sanitary protection is not a luxury for women but is a necessity. There may be more than one woman in a family and this is a drain on already stretched financial resources at a time when the cost of living continues to rise. Sanitary protection products maybe something that are cut back on at this […]
Conference motions
Conference is aware that many of our women members, particularly those in rural areas, experience personal isolation. Low pay contributes to women’s isolation for example by: 1)Limiting their access to public transport because of costs. 2)Accessing mothers’ babies and young children’s groups. 3)Educational courses, including UNISON’s Return to Learn and personal development to increase work […]
This Conference is proud of the reputation that UNISON has on International work. Within the Northern Region Women’s Network we have been developing links with Burma, Colombia and Palestine, especially in support of women and children in those countries with practical projects. These links show that many of the struggles are common to us all […]
Conference welcomes the recent changes to the frequency of smear testing from five years to every three years. However, this still is not frequent enough as women’s lives are still endangered. The legal age of consent is sixteen and this should be the age that smear tests commence. With the increase in the number of […]
Conference welcomes the recent increases in statutory maternity and adoption pay and allowances and the positive effects this is having on families. However, conference sadly notes that under current legislation a woman having a child through surrogacy is not entitled to any Maternity or Adoption leave. All they are eligible to is unpaid parental leave […]
Conference believes that all girls and women should have a future free from the fear of breast cancer and associated conditions. Conference supports the Government, the NHS and its staff in their continued commitment to improve breast cancer services in order to make the vision of a future free from the fear of breast cancer […]
UNISON has had a long and historic link with the Labour party, but this government is no longer seen as a party for the working class or a party that has any interest in the masses, it continues to use political terminology such as disadvantage to place Black people in society. Therefore offering no hope […]
It is well known that young people are the future of this organisation and with that in mind we need a targeted advertising campaign to recruit more young Black members into UNISON, working directly with NUS Black Student campaign, UNISON young members and other Black orientated youth organisations. We call upon National Black Members’ Committee […]
Black members’ conference welcomes the Government’s proposed commitment to introduce new harmonised and comprehensive equality legislation in the Equality Bill. UNISON Black members have experienced the full effects of the recession and recognise that only strong anti-discrimination legislation, and a proactive public sector duty, will protect both Black communities and the workforce. In particular Conference […]
The present economic crisis is a threat to the living standards, jobs and pensions of all working classes around the world. In the United Kingdom where we have a one million young people under the age of twenty five year olds out of work and increasing unemployment across the private sector and public sector. A […]
This conference would like to raise the issue of the current process of electing Black NEC members to the reserved Black seats. Presently this process is open to the whole membership of our union. We believe that any election to these seats should only be voted on by Black members as the seats are for […]
This conference notes that the RMS system still does not record data on the ethnic origins of all our members. Information is collected on members joining branches, however a member could change job in their workplace and never complete a membership update form. In order to have accurate records on the ethnic origins of all […]
UNISON was actively instrumental in winning August 23 as the National Slavery Memorial Day in 2007. However the response of our union in leading and organising Black workers and others to commemorate this day has been very low key or in some cases non-existent. The union must commit to a regionally supported event and an […]
This conference welcomes the work of UNISON’s International committee, Labour link and UNISON departments working on a range of issues. However, there is concern that the needs and interests of Black members appear not to be taken as seriously as other sections of UNISON. For instance, the non participation of UNISON at the UN World […]
Conference welcomes the launch of the UNISON Million Voices campaign which aims to encourage public service workers and public service users to speak up for public services as the essential foundation of a strong economy and a fair society. Conference notes with concern the severe negative impact of the economic crisis upon Black workers and […]