Conference is concerned about the plight of the South African girls highlighted in Channel 4’s Dispatches titled “The Lost Girls of South Africa”. The programme followed four girls aged 11 and 13 struggling to come to terms with their rape and the social stigma attached to it. From the comments posted on the Channel 4 […]
Conference motions
In November 2009 Conference notes that this Government introduced a two – phase increase to Air Passenger Duty (APD) Tax – the next increase is planned for November 2010. APD falls into four band, with passengers being charged according to how far they fly. The increases will hit the medium and long haul travellers the […]
This Conference notes with concern the under representation in UNISON structures and the seeming lack of involvement of South Asian women in UNISON. As part of UNISON’s approach to equality and its own equality scheme it is essential that this issue is addressed. Therefore Conference instructs the National Black Members Committee (NBMC) to; 1.Carry out […]
Conference, The Coalition Government has announced huge scale spending reviews across many of the Public Services employer groups. As much as 40% reductions have been tabled alongside the other various forms of efficiency savings that have been introduced. We believe that the swingeing cuts will have a disproportionate effect on Black Workers, and predominantly the […]
Conference calls on the National Executive Council to conduct a report, on impact and scale of discrimination within the public services. This we hope will ensure that we can improve the levels of equality, opportunities and career progression for Black Workers. We call on the National Black Members Committee (NBMC) to: 1.Work with the National […]
The Government has formed an independent Public Service Pensions Commission to undertake a fundamental structural review of public service pension provision by Budget 2011. We believe that the fact that private sector pensions are inadequate does not mean that public sector pensions should be. This action if taken will have a detrimental effect on Black […]
Conference notes the devastation caused by the earthquake that has struck the Caribbean Island of Haiti. Reports have revealed that over 200,000 Haitians have died, including nursing staff, volunteers and other aid workers. The Haitian government estimate that 1.5 million have been left homeless in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince and are sleeping on the streets […]
UNISON has had a long and historic link with the Labour party, but this government is no longer seen as a party for the working class or a party that has any interest in the masses, it continues to use political terminology such as disadvantage to place Black people in society. Therefore offering no hope […]
It is well known that young people are the future of this organisation and with that in mind we need a targeted advertising campaign to recruit more young Black members into UNISON, working directly with NUS Black Student campaign, UNISON young members and other Black orientated youth organisations. We call upon National Black Members’ Committee […]
Black members’ conference welcomes the Government’s proposed commitment to introduce new harmonised and comprehensive equality legislation in the Equality Bill. UNISON Black members have experienced the full effects of the recession and recognise that only strong anti-discrimination legislation, and a proactive public sector duty, will protect both Black communities and the workforce. In particular Conference […]
The present economic crisis is a threat to the living standards, jobs and pensions of all working classes around the world. In the United Kingdom where we have a one million young people under the age of twenty five year olds out of work and increasing unemployment across the private sector and public sector. A […]
Conference commends UNISON’s International work including Action Aid, Water and sanitation in Gaza, creating awareness of corporate tax evasion in developing countries, HIV and Aids in Southern Africa, to name just a few. Conference is, however, concerned about UNISON’s lack of work on the eradication of malaria, a killing machine that has, for so many […]
This conference would like to raise the issue of the current process of electing Black NEC members to the reserved Black seats. Presently this process is open to the whole membership of our union. We believe that any election to these seats should only be voted on by Black members as the seats are for […]
This conference notes that the RMS system still does not record data on the ethnic origins of all our members. Information is collected on members joining branches, however a member could change job in their workplace and never complete a membership update form. In order to have accurate records on the ethnic origins of all […]
UNISON was actively instrumental in winning August 23 as the National Slavery Memorial Day in 2007. However the response of our union in leading and organising Black workers and others to commemorate this day has been very low key or in some cases non-existent. The union must commit to a regionally supported event and an […]