Low Paid Black Workers

This Conference notes the publication of the TUC’s Report ‘‘Black and Underpaid ‘ which highlights the fact that black workers continue to be discriminated against in terms of pay. Conference is perturbed that despite nearly a generation of race relations in Britain that black workers still earn less than their counterparts, for example black men […]

Bargaining on Equality

Conference notes that one of the most significant developments during UNISON’s first ten years is how central equalities issues have become to nearly everything the union does and that the self-organised groups have been the main single factor to make this so and keep it so. However, their work is often poorly integrated with collective […]

Ending Low Pay

Conference welcomes the statement in May last year by the Minister for Equalities and Women that “pink pounds” have created a more tolerant society towards lesbians and gay men. Conference agrees that whether one is treated with dignity and respect depends largely on whether you have money to spend. Conference notes that the Local Government […]

Local Government White Paper and Local Government Bill

This Conference welcomes the White Paper’s encouragement to local authorities not to make voluntary organisations bid for funds on an annual basis. Many voluntary organisations provide invaluable services to disabled people and employ UNISON members. We also call upon the Local Government Service Group Executive to lobby Government in order to meet the following needs […]

Craftworkers Recognition

Blackpool Local Government Branch: 1)Recognises that the JNC for Local Authority Craft and Associated employees negotiates agreements in respect of 39,000 craft workers, labourers, charge hands and supervisors, and 2,000 apprentices. 2)Notes that the Trade Union Side of that body consists of Amicus, TGWU, GMB, UCATT and the Confederation of Shipbuilders and Engineers Union. 3)Deplores […]

The Role of School Support Staff

This meeting notes with great concern the so-called ‘historic deal’ reached between the Government, the teachers unions (with the exception of the N U T), and UNISON, the T & G W U and the G M B. The agreement is aimed at reducing teacher workloads to enable them to have a guarantee of up […]

PFI Contracts

Conference is well aware of the Best Value regime and its rigorous requirements to Compare, Contrast, Compete and Consult. Conference is also aware of the number of contracts and services which have been externalised, outsourced or relocated. Let’s be honest they have been privatised. However, the rigorous examination ends when the privateers get their hands […]

Funding Fair Pay in Local Government

Local Government Conference notes that whilst both Central and the Welsh Assembly Governments have stated that they wish to see a fair and transparent pay and grading system in local government they have failed to take the opportunities, presented by recent amendments to local government finance, to passport money through to local authorities who are […]

Pensions

This Conference supports wholeheartedly Composite E which was carried at the 2002 UNISON National Delegate Conference. This Conference notes that we all rely on the pension earned during employment to provide a reasonable standard of living in retirement and financial protection for our families and partners in the event of death or ill health. This […]

Right to Care Campaign

In November 2001, UNISON, with a number of other organisations, launched the Right to Care Campaign. The aims of the Campaign are as follows: 1)That the Government must introduce personal and nursing care that is free at the point of use and funded from general taxation; 2)That this care should be the entitlement of everyone, […]

Improvements in Communications

This Conference believes that existing means of communications between UNISON at a national level and branch retired members’ groups are practically non-existent. Conference strongly urges the National Retired Members’ Committee to take urgent remedial action to improve this situation. In particular, Conference requests that some form of regular publications such as the National Retired Members’ […]

Care Home Closures

This Conference condemns the fact that 700 long term care homes in England and Wales were closed during 2001 due to repeated loss of government funding. This Conference requests the National Executive Council, Affiliated Political Fund and other appropriate organisations to use their good offices with the current government to seek to reverse this trend […]

Discrimination

This Conference recognises the legal requirements of sex discrimination and race discrimination. It also recognises that age discrimination is used but is not illegal. This Conference demands that age discrimination is made illegal and instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee to make all representations through the National Executive Council, Affiliated Political Fund and other appropriate […]

Proposed Changes in Benefit Payment System 2003

During 2003, no exact date at present, the Benefits Agency is proposing to cease the payment of all state benefits, including benefits to pensioners, via the present weekly order book system. Instead, they intend to make payments to clients on a four week basis, direct into a bank account, thus removing yet another freedom of […]

Care Homes

This Conference calls upon the National Executive Council, Service Groups and Affiliated Political Fund to make representations to the Government to keep open local authority residential homes by any means possible, as care in the community is often inadequate for the needs of the recipients. This Conference deplores the fact that many people in residential […]