Conference is concerned that the campaign to turn down heating thermostat settings conflicts with the advice to keep a warm home. Conference requests the National Retired Members Committee to seek, through the National Executive Council, assurances from the Government, and other interested bodies, that clear advice relating to elderly people is included in future heating […]
Conference motions
Conference notes that UNISON is a union committed to promoting equality and valuing diversity, and that these principles underpin all our organisational structure, policies and practice. These principles are enshrined in our nation rule book. Rule B1 Aims and Objectives, 1.2 and 1.3. Rule B2 Union Democracy, 2.3. They apply to all the union’s structures, […]
Conference recognises the outstanding role UNISON plays in the international trade union movement. UNISON recognises that Britain’s economy and political system are interdependent with Europe and the rest of the world, and that it is vital that UNISON works with sister trade unions in other countries and through key international organisations to promote and protect […]
Conference notes that, until recently, retired member officers and representatives, in common with all other UNISON officers and representatives, had UNISON insurance cover whilst on UNISON business. Conference now understands that cover for retired member officers and representatives have ceased under new arrangements. Conference instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee to ensure that insurance cover […]
Conference notes that regions and branches monitor their membership figures for working members on a regular basis in order to inform an ongoing recruitment campaign. However, there is no such process in place for retired members. Conference therefore calls on the National Retired Members’ Committee to: 1)carry out an audit of the total number of […]
Conference recognises that many retired members will know from their own personal experience the dangers of fascism. Conference notes that the British National Party (BNP) is organising in the West Midlands, East London and in other areas across the country in an attempt to have at least one BNP candidate elected at the next General […]
Conference regrets that UNISON’s press statements on public services are often perceived as the voice only of the providers of services. UNISON’s members, particularly retired members, are also consumers of services with similar concerns to those working in those services and are committed to the provision of quality public services . Conference therefore asks the […]
At the end of paragraph 3.1 add new sentence: “Any member of a regional Retired Members’ Committee attending the conference as a regional or branch delegate may be appointed by their regional Retired Members’ Committee to move a motion or amendment submitted by that regional Retired Members’ Committee.”
Conference is alarmed by the continued use of small letters and the inappropriate use of colour printing on coloured paper so frequently used in publications. These practices are not acceptable to the elderly. Conference therefore instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee to seek advice from UNISON’s National Disabled Members’ Committee and to take up this […]
Conference believes that many older people are not fully aware of their entitlements to receive proper health and social care, in a way which suits their own circumstances. Where this is the case, patients may be deprived of their entitlements by misleading information from health care providers under financial pressure to cut services. Particular issues […]
Conference notes that pensioners, especially those over 80 years of age when seeking holiday insurance are either being refused insurance or being asked to pay exhorbitant rates. At present insurance to Europe if you are over 75 years of age costs £96 a couple for two weeks and insurers do not provide yearly travel insurance […]
Conference condemns the decision to remove the entitlement to concessions for pensioners attending day and evening classes other than for those in receipt of pensions credit. For many decades all pensioners could access day and evening classes either free or at a nominal cost. This allowed many people who had not previously had access to […]
Conference calls upon the National Executive Council and the National Retired Members’ Committee to pressurise local authorities to stop the closure of public conveniences, as this particularly affects the older people and the disabled. Provision of toilets should be a statutory requirement for local authorities.
Conference regrets that in his March 2007 budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, again failed to increase the basic state pension to restore its value if the link to average earnings had not been broken by Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative Government. Pensioners should have an immediate rise now to restore the pension value and […]
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, in his March 2006 budget, totally ignored the needs of pensioners coping with higher fuel bills. Fuel poverty is described as being when a household spends at least 10 percent of its income on fuel costs. The fuel allowance, which has remained at £200 since 2003, was not […]