Rule D.2.4 Additional Members’ Seats

Delete all after “date of election” and replace with “.”

Rule Q

RESERVED LOW PAY SEATS Delete “New Earnings Survey” and replace with “Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings”

Rule G.6 Learning Representatives

Add new Rule: “.6 Learning Representatives 6.1 Learning representatives shall be selected for each work group or workplace in accordance with branch arrangements 6.2 The selection of learning representatives shall be reported to the branch for ratification and issuing of credentials 6.3 Learning representatives shall: 6.3.1carry out the function of a learning representative as set […]

Portable Pensions in Public Services

Conference is concerned that workers in contracted out public services sometimes end up moving between a whole series of different pension schemes, as a result of being passed between different employers each time the service is retendered. This can expose workers to difficult decisions about whether to transfer their pension rights, and may result in […]

Women and Work

UNISON recognises the significant inequalities still faced by women at work. Conference condemns the continuing pay inequalities across all sectors and notes that women working full time still earn, on average 18 per cent less than men, and part-time women workers 40 per cent less than men. Conference deplores this continuing pay discrimination which devalues […]

Tackling Racism and the Rise of the Far Right

Conference rejects the presence of the British National party (BNP) and other far right parties in the United Kingdom and condemns their role in the increase in racist abuse and attacks against black and minority ethnic people and their communities. In particular, Conference deplores the disgraceful racism of the Tories in the run up to […]

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 […]

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 […]

Public Sector Pension Schemes

Conference expresses its outrage at the continued attack by the government on the provisions of the various public sector pension scheme provisions. Conference notes, with disgust, that these continued attacks on public sector provision of pension arrangements have occurred subsequent to the government introducing, and receiving, support from parliament for enhanced pension arrangements for members […]

The Future of Council Housing

Conference welcomes the fact that at the Labour party conference on 26 September, Deputy Prime Minister said: “Public financing of housing does not treat local authorities on a level playing field and I want to see that changed and I promise to do that and look at an enquiry into it”. After the vote, Housing […]

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 […]