Conference notes that the response to the Government’s White Paper “Security in Retirement – towards a new pension system” has to be submitted by 11 September 2006 to the Department of Work and Pensions. In the light of the responses received by the Government, a modified paper will then be presented to Parliament. Conference therefore […]
Conference motions
This conference condemns the announcement by the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, that public sector pay rises will be capped at 2% over the next three years and his call for more local and regional flexibility in pay bargaining. Conference notes that: 1)Inflation is currently running at 2.6% 2)Recruitment and retention problems in local government are running […]
Many hospitals and accident and emergency departments are being threatened with closure. This will increase the distance that a lot of elderly people, who do not have their own transport and have to rely on other more costly means, have to travel to get to the alternative establishments. Also a lot of pensioners live on […]
Conference notes with concern the growing number of energy utilities deciding to offshore work overseas. In the last twelve months npower, British Gas and Vertex have publicly announced their offshoring plans, each leading to significant reductions in their UK workforce. This trend is largely stimulated by the competitive pressures of the liberalised UK energy market […]
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 […]
Conference welcomes UNISON’s response to the Government’s Energy Review. We note that contrary to the growing clamour for a nuclear renaissance that there is no proven economic or environmental case for doing so. Conference believes that there remains an untapped potential to reduce the UK’s dependency on energy through energy conservation and savings measures. Conference […]
This conference welcomes welcome the increased participation by Energy Members at the 2005 LGBT Conference in Belfast. The Business and Environment Equal Opportunities Working Group (BEEOWG) has successfully engaged with Branches and Regions to raise the LGBT profile within Energy through specific LGBT events and, more recently, the successful Equalities Day. Conference is disappointed however […]
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 / […]
Male Energy members who work in the electricity and gas industries who have tried to donate blood have found that the National Blood Service has a ‘blanket’ ban in place against men who have ever had sex with other men, and so they are advised in their workplaces that their blood will not be accepted […]
We note the 3 year pay deal in Local Government. We also note that the ‘consultation’ period was conducted at a time when many activists were away at Conference. Some branches managed to get out the publicity and also made a recommendation to Vote NO based on information assembled by the respective branch committees. Conference […]
This Conference notes that the UNISON NJC Committee, the Scottish Local Government Committee, the Community and Voluntary Sector Forum, and FE & 6th Form Colleges Committee as National Sector Committees are represented on the Local Government Service Group Executive (SGE). However at present there is no provision for these committees to send substitute representatives. This […]
Conference notes that increasing numbers of UNISON members face transfers to private providers and Housing Associations for delivering of social housing. In England this includes Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMO’s) and Private Finance Initiatives (PFI) and in England, Scotland and Wales, stock transfers to Housing Associations. Conference also notes that local authorities are obliged to […]
This conference receives the report of the Local Government Service Group Executive
The Northern Ireland Region call upon the Service Group Executive to ensure the provision of support, resources and whatever else is necessary so that UNISON members are protected under the Review of Public Administration which will result in five Education and Library Boards becoming one. As UNISON should now be looking at increasing its density […]