Housing Privatisation

Conference notes that the campaign against the privatisation of council housing is continuing and gathering strength. It congratulates UNISON members and tenants in Dudley and on the Aylesbury estate in Southwark for their successful campaigns for a ‘no’ vote in the tenant ballots. Conference further notes the outstanding success of the national, West Midlands Region […]

Age Discrimination and Citizenship

This Conference whilst recognising that age discrimination can affect people of all ages deplores the blatant age discrimination that young people face in today’s society. Discrimination against young people exists in legislation and other rules and regulations, including those relating to: 1)National Minimum Wage 2)Eligibility to vote 3)Job Seekers’ Allowance 4)Housing and Council Tax benefits […]

Combatting Racism in Local Communities

This Conference believes that the civil disturbances that took place in a number of towns in the summer of 2001 are a result of the economic and political exclusion of the working class communities in those areas. The exclusion has been exacerbated by structural unemployment that has resulted form the demise off manufacturing, social deprivation […]

Public Services

The future health of our public services is at a critical point, with a government committed to improving them after years of under investment, but increasingly choosing the private sector, not existing staff, as the solution to problems. Conference deplores the fact that the Government has responded to the need for better services by creating […]

Discrimination in Pension Schemes

This Conference welcomes the support of employers’ bodies for amendments to the Local Government Pension Scheme to the purpose of removing/amending those regulations which discriminate against non-married partners including same sex. Conference notes this matter now lies with the Government and that they have failed to progress the necessary changes to date as they are […]

Rule G.4.1.1 Branch Officers

After “International Officer” insert “Membership Officer”

United Campaign for the Repeal of Anti-Trade Union Laws

This Conference believes that the right to take effective industrial action in defence of decent wages and service conditions, and without the threat of dismissal, has been steadily eroded over the last two decades, and that recent changes to the law made by the Labour Government have done little to improve that situation. This Conference […]

Chhokar Family Justice Campaign

This Conference is concerned that, since Surjit Singh Chhokar was murdered in November 1998, no-one has been convicted of his murder, despite two trials at which it was demonstrated beyond all doubt that three men were either present, or attacked Surjit Singh Chhokar when he was battered and then stabbed to death. Conference believes that […]

Positively Public – International Perspective

Conference affirms its opposition to the General Agreement on Trade and Services as agreed at last year’s Conference. Privatisation of public services and promotion of free trade is an international agenda promoted by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the interests of multi-national corporations and finance capital. UNISON’s Positively Public […]

Equal Pay

Conference welcomes the decision to make the campaign for equal pay a top priority for UNISON this year. Surveys by UNISON and other organisations show that equal pay is a key concern to working women. Raising the profile of UNISON’s work on equal pay should encourage recruitment and retention of members. Conference notes that, as […]

Care for the Elderly

This Conference notes with concern the ever-increasing privatisation of elderly care, which has a disproportionate effect on women. This is as a direct result of the Government’s policy on funding a mixed economy, Best Value and the proposed new standards for residential establishments. All local councils are reducing the number of care beds they provide, […]

Ill Health Retirement Qualifications

Recent legislation has caused adverse changes in the ill health retirement scheme for members of UNISON. The criteria has changed to include permanently incapable until at the earliest the members’ 65th birthday. It would appear that those doctors who meet the new stringent qualifications required by the Government are expected to foresee the future for […]

Stop the Nazis

Conference expresses its deep concern that following the British National Party’s (BNP) best ever election result in Oldham at the last general election, the BNP has continued to win significant support in subsequent local elections in the North West. Conference believes that the BNP is a nazi organisation, which stirs up race hatred as part […]

Rule D.1.6 Shared Delegates

After the first sentence insert: “Where a branch or grouped branches have the right to be represented by more than one delegate, the branch or grouped branches may, in order to further promote proportionality, fair representation, or equal opportunities, elect two members to share one delegate seat allocated to the branch or grouped branches.”