This conference welcomes the UNISON survey of young workers in the NHS on the subject of career progression and attitudes to employment and future employment prospects in the service. This conference notes that while interim results indicate many young workers have positive experiences of employment and training, 60% of respondents feel they do not have […]
Conference motions
Annual Health Conference is the prime policy event and platform for UNISON to showcase UNISON campaigns and activities in defence of the NHS, its users and the staff who deliver key services. To ensure the continued effectiveness of the event, Conference calls on the Service Group Executive to review the duration, format and content of […]
Conference recognises the misleading publicity by the Government around their commitment to protect front line services in the NHS. We know the NHS is not safe in their hands and cuts to jobs and services, along with increased privatisation will all be a consequence of their policies. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the […]
The role and expertise of Pharmacy technicians have changed dramatically over the past number of years. However the skills and expertise required by Pharmacy technicians has not been properly recognised by the qualifications that the post should require. The first Pharmacy technicians were introduced in N. Ireland in 1975. At that time the qualifications for […]
Conference acknowledges the work which has taken place to ensure that the Equalities Act was implemented on the 1st October 2010. However, we are disappointed that the government has sought to dilute elements of the agenda which could have ensured equity for a number of individuals. We welcome the establishment and commitment which the Department […]
Conference notes that Black members remain concerned with their under representation throughout UNISON structures. Many branches still don’t have self organised groups while at the same time employers are setting up Black Minority Ethnic Group/Forums. This can not only undermine the unions’ structures and take away branch development opportunities in terms of establishing Self Organised […]
Conference notes that the public sector cuts are well underway and that Black members are already being selected for redundancy. It is a concern for the National Black Members Committee (NBMC) and the wider union that Black activists are not singled out for their work on supporting members within their branches and workplaces. We also […]
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the UK. More than 45,500 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year and the disease causes almost 12,000 deaths each year. Eight in ten cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women over the age of 50. Black and Asian women are significantly more […]
In June 2009 a proposal to raise public funding to erect a monument to this positive Black female pioneer and her significant achievements was aired on national television. The ambition to erect a statue of her “going forth”, to be sited in St Thomas’ Hospital grounds on the lawn opposite the Houses of Parliament, was […]
It is regrettable that more Black people continue to experience common health problems such as anxiety and depression. With the Government changes to Disability Living Allowance and Welfare system, there is no doubt that the disabled Black people that have significant mental illness would be more affected. The recent pronouncement by the Government to cap […]
June’s ConDem budget will have a disproportionate affect on women and on Black women in particular. Research released by the Fawcett Society showed that 72% of cuts will be met from women’s income as many of the cuts are to the benefits that more women than men rely on and the changes to the tax […]
This Conference believes that information sometime gets lost about this National Black Members’ Conference. We believe that more needs to be done to inform members about the opportunity to attend this conference. Many Black members are still not aware that notification of Conference goes to branches in July and is placed on the UNISON Website. […]
This Conference believes that with any structure there is usually room for improvement. The discussions at and after Conference shows that there have been concerns about the facilities and information made available. This Conference notes that: ·We have been holding National Black Members’ Conferences throughout the life of UNISON. ·The National Black Members’ Committee (NBMC) […]
In times of recession and job cuts, migrant workers are not only going to feel the rise in racist attitudes, but they can be certain that immigration legislation will follow trend and imposed increasingly restrictive measures. Most of our members who have not yet obtained residency will be likely to be forced to go home. […]
It is already well documented that teachers have lower expectations of Black students than their white counterparts and this can affect their life chances. In 2009 the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) discovered a widening gap between Black and Minority students who achieve firsts and 2:1’s compared to the proportion of white students that do. The […]