Rise of BNP

Conference notes the: 1)rise of the British National Party (BNP) in the West Midlands and across the country; 2)joint work carried out with Searchlight and Unite Against Fascism (UAF) in campaigning against the BNP; 3)positive steps forward in working with other trade unions and establishing local activists and neighbourhood activities to combat the BNP; 4)establishment […]

Definition of Violence Against Women

Research at national and international level has consistently shown that domestic violence is a form of gender specific violence. The recent report into violence against women by the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) acknowledges the role of violence against women in perpetuating the subordination of women in all societies throughout the globe. Violence […]

Cuba

Conference congratulates UNISON’s International Department and the Cuba Solidarity Campaign on producing the excellent ‘Made in Cuba’ pack about Cuba’s unique health service and its international solidarity work in the Caribbean and Pakistan. Cuba’s achievements, internationalism and resistance to United States (US) backed aggression has become an example and source of inspiration among nations throughout […]

Sickness Absence Procedures

Conference notes that: 1)employers are adopting increasingly Draconian procedures which allow for an increase in the disciplining and dismissal of genuinely ill employees; 2)these procedures sometimes fail to abide by equalities legislation including the Disability Discrimination Act; 3)sickness absence can often be traced back to the workplace; 4)employers’ actions such as holding vacant posts, increased […]

Employment Rights

Conference welcomes the new individual employment rights for 2007 but believes that there needs to be a fresh push for an increase in collective trade union rights. In particular, Conference notes the extension of the Information and Consultation of Employees (ICE) regulations for undertaking with greater than 100 employees and the following parts of the […]

Promoting the Gender Equality Duty

Conference is pleased to note that, following the introduction of the Gender Equality Duty in April 2007, there is now a statutory duty on all public authorities to have due regard to the need to: 1) eliminate unlawful sex discrimination; 2) promote equality of opportunity between men and women. Public authorities will no longer be […]

Rule B.1 At Work and in the Community

Rule B.1 Add new point 7. “7.To promote trade unionism.” and renumber remaining points accordingly.

Bullying – Action Not Words

Conference notes that: 1) bullying is a major cause of stress in the workplace. Workers will often be absent on sickness grounds as a result. This in turn can lead to punitive action by the employer using draconian sickness policies; 2) workers often remain unwilling to either report bullying or to take out formal grievance […]

Global Warming

Conference notes with concern: 1)the growing consensus that global warming is already happening and that the potential consequences of climate change could end up being catastrophic; 2)that so far our political leaders have failed to address the need to significantly cut carbon emissions. Conference believes: a)that introducing ‘green’ taxes will not by themselves achieve the […]

Occupational Registration Conduct and Standards

Conference acknowledges the expansion of occupational and professional registration conduct and standards, across the range of areas of UNISON membership. In principle such registration procedures are to be welcomed in: 1)providing public protection and safeguards; 2)protecting practitioners against malicious claims; 3)enhancing standards of service and provision; and, 4)developing occupational and qualification standards as part of […]

Pension Funds and Capital Stewardship – Toward the Citizen Economy

Conference notes that workers around the world have become “citizen investors” through their occupational pension schemes and savings, and are now collectively the majority owners of most large companies. Conference also recognises growing evidence that good governance of pension funds and active shareholder engagement with companies can improve fund values while simultaneously benefiting employees and […]

Palestine

Conference continues to consider that a just solution to the Palestine-Israel conflict must be based upon international law and Israel should: 1) withdraw to its 1949-67 borders; 2) allow the refugees of 1948 to return home; 3) remove all its settlements from the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Occupied Syrian Al-Joulan; 4) take down the Apartheid […]

Public Services

This is a time of unprecedented change in public services. The government’s reform of our public services seldom translates into anything other than a liberalisation agenda, with markets opened up to the private sector on the false premise that there will be more choice for the ‘consumer’, namely user of public services. The evidence of […]

Challenging Racism: Challenging Islamaphobia

1.add additional final Para before “Conference asks” to read “The series of comments by MP’s such as Jack Straw and Phil Woolas on the nijab and Muslims gave a green light to media to initiate a vitriolic campaign against the Muslim community which led to racist attacks, 2.Point 2 – after the words “National Assembly […]

The Aquittal of BNP Leaders

The National Black Members’ Conference is disappointed by the decision of Leeds Crown Court to acquit Nick Griffin and Mark Collett on charges of incitement to racial hatred on 11 November 2006. Attacking Muslims and Islam in the way that the British National Party (BNP) does is racist and whips up hostility towards Muslims and […]