Conference supports the National Pensioners’ Convention (NPC) in its request that all trade unions encourage retired members to set up arrangements for the payment of £1 annually towards the work of the NPC. Much of the campaigning work of UNISON’s retired members is carried out through the NPC and without an adequate source of income […]
Conference motions
Conference supports UNISON health members in their stand against government moves to further privatise the provision of primary care services and to cut the numbers of staff in acute hospital trusts to counter financial deficits. Reports have shown that cuts in staffing levels and leaving vacancies unfilled can lead to inadequate standards of care, loss […]
Conference calls on the National Retired Members’ Committee to: 1) encourage UNISON Regional Retired Members’ Committees to appoint their full entitlement of delegates to their appropriate TUC Retired Members’ Forum; 2) facilitate the exchange of information between UNISON Regional Retired Members’ Committees to assist in developing a coordinated approach to this area of work. The […]
Conference agrees that after 25 years of campaigning and consulting with pensioners across the United Kingdom (UK) that the National Pensioners’ Convention (NPC) National Pensioners’ Charter with its 11 Draft Bills of Rights is more than a fair reflection of what UK pensioners need. Conference instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee to give their support […]
Conference deplores the proposal to introduce a compulsory driving test for those persons over the age of 75. The implementation of any form of driving test without discussion and consultation with affected parties and without the production of evidence to support the need is discrimination against the older driver. Conference therefore strongly requests the National […]
Conference welcomes the report by Sir Derek Wanless on a new system of care for the vulnerable, frail and elderly in our society and the funding proposals contained within it. Conference calls upon the National Executive Council to vigorously campaign to get the main recommendations of the report implemented. The campaign to be conducted in […]
Conference recognises the importance of effective communications in informing all retired members of information which affect their interests. These include matters in which the National Retired Members’ Committee is engaged on our behalf, in order that appropriate and timely advice may be given and support for policy generated. Equally, the views and concerns of members […]
Conference notes that the response to the Government’s White Paper “Security in Retirement – towards a new pension system” has to be submitted by 11 September 2006 to the Department of Work and Pensions. In the light of the responses received by the Government, a modified paper will then be presented to Parliament. Conference therefore […]
The Government included in the 2005 Budget, the introduction of free local bus travel for pensioners in April 2006. The implementation has been costly and complicated. In some towns, for example Southampton, free bus travel is limited to within a city boundary, with two exceptions, one to a hospital, the other to a supermarket, both […]
Retired Members’ Conference 2003 passed a motion which instructed the National Retired Members’ Committee to submit proposals to the 2004 Conference, to establish a fair quota system for branch attendance at future Retired Members’ Conferences. No proposals were submitted to that Conference. Conference, therefore, instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee to implement a quota system […]
Many hospitals and accident and emergency departments are being threatened with closure. This will increase the distance that a lot of elderly people, who do not have their own transport and have to rely on other more costly means, have to travel to get to the alternative establishments. Also a lot of pensioners live on […]
Conference notes the success of negotiations with the Department of Health and private contractors to secure an agreement by which staff transferred from the NHS to major private contractors will become subject to Agenda for Change terms and conditions over the next two years. This agreement, when fully implemented, will end of most of the […]
This Conference is extremely concerned that there appears to be no effective or responsive mechanism in place to recompense NHS staff for the petrol they use whilst on official business. This is particularly true for staff who are using their own cars for work purposes. Many employers insist that staff are entitled only to claim […]
Conference notes with deep concern the financial crisis faced by many NHS Trusts across England. In recent weeks there have been news reports daily of Hospital and Primary Care Trusts forced to close departments, freeze recruitment and discontinue the use of agency staff. In addition Trusts are also resorting to redundancy measures to save money. […]
This Conference notes that the Health Services in all four countries of the UK have set standards in respect of the nutritional content of patient food. However it is recognised that beyond the basic minimum standards, assessment of an individual patient’s nutritional needs appears to be very inconsistent and in some cases non existent. Another […]