Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Women’s group welcomes UNISON’s Guide to Influencing the NHS (Stronger Together – A UNISON Guide to influencing the NHS) As women trade unionists, we are used to being involved in workplace negotiations and have an honourable tradition of arguing our case. Getting involved in public sector bodies – for example the […]
Conference motions
Conference is proud of Unison’s commitment to lifelong learning and education for all. It is particularly proud of the selection of Unison course which provides women with an opportunity to learn in a safe and supportive environment; allowing women to return to the classroom where this opportunity may not otherwise have been afforded and increasing […]
Conference notes that at national delegate conference 2013, an amendment to the national women’s committee motion on UNISON women, active, campaigning, leading, was debated and lost. That amendment stated: “We believe that our trade union has the potential to transform society for the better. Therefore we have a particular responsibility to confront and challenge male […]
Conference notes that domestic violence and abuse does not discriminate. It happens among heterosexual couples and in same-sex partnerships. It occurs within all age ranges, ethnic backgrounds, and economic levels. And while women are more commonly victimised, men are also abused. The bottom line is that abusive behaviour is never acceptable. According to Women’s Aid: […]
It is long established that the overwhelming portrayal of women as sex objects in society plays a role in maintaining inequality between women and men. This has been recognised at the international level by the United Nations Convention to Eliminate all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), an internationally, legally binding document ratified by the […]
This conference notes that despite the Health Service apparently being outside the cuts there have been many reductions in hospital services across the country and often these are those that provide specialist services to women. 11 hospitals have already lost maternity services since 2010. The closure of local maternity units will force women to travel […]
Conference notes that the UK is suffering from an acute housing crisis, with rents soaring and house building grinding to a halt as a direct result of the recession, whilst the number of new households is increasing faster than the number of new builds. Against a background of mounting debt across the country, huge numbers […]
Conference notes with concern the growing existence of pay day loan companies, particularly targeting the low paid who are struggling financially. Research by the insurance company Aviva found that where a woman is the main breadwinner, families were more than twice as likely to have taken out a payday loan in the last year. Further, […]
The Cymru/Wales Regional Women’s Committee recognises the ever present need of support, advice and guidance required for those experiencing domestic abuse. Despite the rise in demand for domestic abuse support, austerity measures have slashed charity funding leaving sufferers vulnerable and isolated. Employers have a duty of care to their employees. For those experiencing domestic abuse, […]
Conference condemns the continual sexualisation of women in the media and finds it unacceptable the way in which women are presented to the public often posing partially clothed in a sexual or passive way. The presence of these imagines on the covers of magazines and newspapers can encourage and reinforce outdated stereotypical views of women. […]
Conference notes the rise in domestic violence; a staggering 1 million females were victims of domestic violence last year accounting for 1 in 5 of all assaults. It has long been understood that domestic violence tends to increase during difficult periods for society, such as recession, and in these austere times with cuts to police […]
Conference deeply concerned at the improper use of Zero Hours contracts throughout the employment sectors. Employers are targeting workers via health and social care settings, education, hotel services and many more work areas, to use these contracts as a means of reducing costs and maximising profits. However, they are disproportionately affecting women workers and their […]
Conference, the 1999 McPherson report uncovered deep rooted institutional racism within the Metropolitan Police Force. In the aftermath of this report the police were forced to review stop and search practices, as these were a very obvious manifestation of police prejudice. However, recent years have seen police forces return to their old ways. The figures […]
Conference notes that in the UK there are 168 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Research conducted by the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) reports that Black people represents 8.6 per cent of higher education academic staff and 6.9 per cent of professional support staff. Conference is aware that in the UK the Higher Education context has changed […]
Conference notes that Higher Education has expanded in the past decade with a 28% increase in the number of students from all domiciles (Universities UK, 2011). The expansion is partly the result of a greater number of students from ethnic backgrounds going to university. Yet in spite of the increase in Higher Education Initial Participation […]