Charter for Change for LGBT Equality

Conference welcomes advances in legislation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality. These include Gender Recognition and Civil Partnership, outlawing of sexual orientation discrimination in goods, facilities and services and the promised Single Equality Act, which should enact duties across all grounds to actively promote equality as well as combat discrimination. However, disadvantage and […]

Pensions White Paper and Restoration of the Link

Conference notes that on 25 May 2006 the government published a Pensions White Paper setting out how it planned to implement the recommendations of the Turner Report. The White Paper contains some positive proposals intended to increase the value of the state pension in the light of the decline of many occupational pensions and include […]

Mental Health Legislation

Conference welcomes some positive aspects of the Mental Health Bill that intend to make mental health services more able to respond to the complex, emotional and medical needs of people experiencing mental ill health. However, Conference is concerned that: 1)the proposed increased use of Community Detention Orders may jeopardise opportunities for disabled people to become […]

Definition of Violence Against Women

Research at national and international level has consistently shown that domestic violence is a form of gender specific violence. The recent report into violence against women by the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) acknowledges the role of violence against women in perpetuating the subordination of women in all societies throughout the globe. Violence […]

Cuba

Conference congratulates UNISON’s International Department and the Cuba Solidarity Campaign on producing the excellent ‘Made in Cuba’ pack about Cuba’s unique health service and its international solidarity work in the Caribbean and Pakistan. Cuba’s achievements, internationalism and resistance to United States (US) backed aggression has become an example and source of inspiration among nations throughout […]

Promoting the Gender Equality Duty

Conference is pleased to note that, following the introduction of the Gender Equality Duty in April 2007, there is now a statutory duty on all public authorities to have due regard to the need to: 1) eliminate unlawful sex discrimination; 2) promote equality of opportunity between men and women. Public authorities will no longer be […]

Rule B.1 At Work and in the Community

Rule B.1 Add new point 7. “7.To promote trade unionism.” and renumber remaining points accordingly.

Global Warming

Conference notes with concern: 1)the growing consensus that global warming is already happening and that the potential consequences of climate change could end up being catastrophic; 2)that so far our political leaders have failed to address the need to significantly cut carbon emissions. Conference believes: a)that introducing ‘green’ taxes will not by themselves achieve the […]

Bullying – Action Not Words

Conference notes that: 1) bullying is a major cause of stress in the workplace. Workers will often be absent on sickness grounds as a result. This in turn can lead to punitive action by the employer using draconian sickness policies; 2) workers often remain unwilling to either report bullying or to take out formal grievance […]

Occupational Registration Conduct and Standards

Conference acknowledges the expansion of occupational and professional registration conduct and standards, across the range of areas of UNISON membership. In principle such registration procedures are to be welcomed in: 1)providing public protection and safeguards; 2)protecting practitioners against malicious claims; 3)enhancing standards of service and provision; and, 4)developing occupational and qualification standards as part of […]

Pension Funds and Capital Stewardship – Toward the Citizen Economy

Conference notes that workers around the world have become “citizen investors” through their occupational pension schemes and savings, and are now collectively the majority owners of most large companies. Conference also recognises growing evidence that good governance of pension funds and active shareholder engagement with companies can improve fund values while simultaneously benefiting employees and […]

Palestine

Conference continues to consider that a just solution to the Palestine-Israel conflict must be based upon international law and Israel should: 1) withdraw to its 1949-67 borders; 2) allow the refugees of 1948 to return home; 3) remove all its settlements from the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Occupied Syrian Al-Joulan; 4) take down the Apartheid […]