Conference recognises the nature of poverty has changed and that even people on what may be considered to be reasonable salaries are struggling and in need of support. Unrealistic rhetoric from politicians who are out of touch with reality, who use offensive commentary to describe people in need and how they should be living, drives […]
Conference motions
Conference wishes to thank all those pioneers that made up the PCSO workforce 20 years ago. Their dedication and commitment embedded the role into modern policing and made the role of PCSO an integral role in the service and to the public we serve. Our PCSOs deal with many more issues today than was envisaged […]
This conference understands that members may find themselves in a situation that warrants a disciplinary sanction and as a consequence this sanction may be a written or final written warning. Under these circumstances vetting may be withdrawn, thus having the effect of rendering them unable to continue in their role. This for all intents and […]
Conference, funding cuts and the government’s long-delayed plans to address social inequalities is one of the major causes of in-work poverty experienced by Black Workers and the cause of severe inter-generational inequality in Black communities. Recent funding increases have not undone £15bn of cuts in central government grants to public services between 2010 and 2020, […]
Conference notes that data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing shows that many of the over-50 population were unable to access health care services during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in England. A sixth of older people reported having hospital treatment cancelled, with an additional one in ten unable to visit or […]
Conference notes that the Government is still considering raising the age of free prescriptions in England from 60 to 66, in line with the increasing State Pension age. The changes would mean that as many as 2.4 million people aged 60 to 65 would have to start paying for antibiotics, illness treatments and more at […]
Conference notes that in 2022 energy giants Shell and BP made a combined profit of £40 billion while at the same time around 1 million older households were experiencing fuel poverty. It is estimated that rising fuel prices will push an extra 150,000 older households into fuel poverty by the coming winter. Conference further notes […]
Pensioners are people who have served the country as employees, parents, volunteers and carers throughout their working lives and many continue to do so in retirement. Most do not have an organised way to press for justice in retirement although some are fortunate to be retired members of organisations such as Unison. On retirement they […]
In England the Bus Pass is available to those at or over state pension age or with some severe health conditions. It gives its holders free travel throughout England on what are defined as “Local bus services”, as a minimum between 09.30 and 23.00 on weekdays and at all times at weekends and Bank Holidays. […]
The number of people who can remember what health provision was like for ordinary working people before Aneurin Bevan created the National Health Service diminishes year by year. His vision of free medical treatment for everyone “from the cradle to the grave” is as powerful now as it was in 1948. Obviously as time has […]
Conference notes the huge impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, whether on staff working under stressful conditions, people isolated from friends and family by lockdown measures, the physical impact of the virus itself, and the continuing uncertainty due to changing and unreliable government advice and public health policies. Health sector staff have been […]
Conference believes as we gradually begin to recover from the Covid 19 Pandemic there is no better time to consider a 35-hour working week for the benefit of our members. Conference considers it is time to work towards fulfilling the promises made under the original Agenda for Change scheme. Conference recognises that many of our […]
This Conference notes the last twelve months has seen a significant nursing staffing crisis develop within all of the countries of the United Kingdom. Staffing shortages have increased on an almost daily basis over the last year to the extent that regions and individual hospital and community services are now experiencing nursing vacancies of up […]
This Conference notes that recruitment of young members continues to increase year on year, including in the Health sector, with over 27,000 new young members joining UNISON in 2020. This conference notes that young members continue, however, to be under-represented as UNISON stewards, representatives and officers. Conference notes the success of the student nurse network […]
Conference notes with concern, the detrimental impact of ongoing pressures within ambulance services on both staff and patients. Across ambulance services, staff working in a wide range of roles work together to deliver the best care for patients. Now increasing demands on already-stretched services mean staff are experiencing poor mental health as they work under […]