Conference notes that a number of public sector employers are engaged in a process of setting up staff groups, from workers who self-identify within equality and diversity strands. Examples are groups for women, for black and minority workers, for disabled workers and for LGBT workers. These groups can inform and advise the employer on matters […]
Conference motions
Conference notes with some concern that many UNISON branches in the UK do not appear to have an active Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender self organised group (LGBT SOG). Conference believes that branch-level LGBT SOGs are a key way to ensure visibility of the diverse LGBT agenda within branches, and that they serve as a […]
Conference notes with increasing concern that Conference business is liable to fall from the agenda if delegates are not on the Conference floor at the appropriate time. Conference should recognise that the funding of attendance is from national, regional and branch level and as such delegates have a responsibility to their branch/region to ensure that […]
Conference reaffirms that campaigning against the far right is – and must remain – a UNISON priority. The British National Party (BNP) gains in the May 2006 local elections in England are a stark warning that our efforts need to be increased. The BNP gained 32 new seats, including 11 (possibly rising to 12, following […]
Conference notes with concern: 1)the raid involving 250 police that took place in Forest Gate, Newham, on Friday, 2 June, in which a young man was shot and two young men, one of them a member of the UCW, were arrested and held under anti-terror laws without charge or any evidence of any kind of […]
Conference congratulates and supports the colossal advances being made by the Venezuelan Revolution under President Hugo Chavez in carrying out policies, which benefit working people, the poor and the landless. Conference recognises that the nine electoral victories won by Hugo Chavez since 1998, provides the Revolution with an overwhelming mandate. This reflects the overwhelming support […]
National Delegate Conference notes: 1)the Trident submarine nuclear weapons system was introduced into Britain in 1994 and will reach the end of its life in 2024. The system is composed of four nuclear-armed submarines, each carrying up to 48 nuclear warheads. Each warhead has an explosive power of up to 100 kilotons – eight times […]
Conference reiterates its policy and belief that children, families and communities are best served by a secondary system that is comprehensive, free of selection and accountable to local people through Local Education Authorities (LEAs) and condemns the government for effectively turning education (a social and cultural aspect of society) into a market, eroding the potential […]
Conference notes with alarm the increasingly desperate situation with housing supply and the ongoing decline of council housing. There are now over 100,000 households in temporary accommodation awaiting rehousing; roughly half a million households on council waiting lists and rising numbers of people living in increasingly overcrowded, poor and unsanitary conditions. Households are now paying […]
Conference records that the last Spending Review by the Chancellor committed an extra £60 billion to public services up to 2008, with £40 billion going to the National Health Service (NHS). Despite this growth, and accompanying increases in public sector jobs, there has been a misguided efficiency drive and marketisation strategy that is leading to […]
Conference reaffirms UNISON’s founding vision that our Union should organise all employees working directly or indirectly in the provision of public services in the United Kingdom. UNISON believes that strong union organisation is the best way to safeguard quality public services and workplace rights. Conference notes the continuing merger and realignment of trade unions, nationally […]
This Conference is concerned that when LGBT members retire from the workplace they become invisible and therefore sidelined. Many of them will have been active within the union movement and taken part in major campaigns. The dynamism shown by UNISONS own LGBT section is proof of what its membership is capable of. Many of the […]
Conference recognises the right of members in Energy to retire on a decent secure pension. Conference expresses its concern that some Energy Companies are attempting to eliminate or worsen early retirement provisions to the detriment of members. Conference believes that all employers should be required to offer an occupational pension scheme that employees should automatically […]
This Energy Conference welcomes the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 which will impose a new Disability Equality Duty upon energy employers from December 2006. We believe these duties could help reconstruct a barrier free society and provide equality of opportunity for the millions of disabled people who are in work or wanting work but who need […]
Conference welcomes the growing recognition of the need to combat discrimination against LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) workers and the agreements reached with some energy employers to integrate work towards LGBT equality into their equality programmes. Conference further notes that some energy employers are seeking to introduce monitoring of workers’ sexual orientation and / […]