Conference recalls that at the Health Conference at Gateshead in 2006 a resolution was passed concerning the position of UNISON members, most commonly working in learning disability services, who had transferred from the NHS to voluntary sector providers. Conference regrets that little progress appears to have been made in implementing this resolution, in contrast to […]
Conference motions
Conference notes the reference to the reduction of medical secretarial posts and the creation of lower paid, lower skilled audio – typist roles in typing pools in Composite E carried at the 2007 Health Conference. Sadly this is a trend which is continuing within the NHS in England. Conference believes that this is a cynical […]
Conference notes the creation of the UNISON Equality Scheme which promotes good practice in mainstreaming equalities issues throughout the union. At a time when UNISON is pressurising employers to fully implement the public sector equalities duties it is important to hold our own processes to similar levels of scrutiny. Conference calls on the Health Service […]
Conference notes the excellent article in the November 2007 edition of UNISON In-Focus magazine concerning the TUC Campaign “Speaking up for Vulnerable Workers.” Conference notes. It is quite likely a large number of the figure estimated in the article (ranging from 250,000 to a million) work covering Agency, Casual and Migrant workers are employed in […]
Conference notes that, despite strong campaigning by UNISON, pay and conditions for our members in the community and voluntary sector (CVS) are inferior to those in the NHS. As CVS organisations provide an increasing number of core public services and this gap becomes more acute, it becomes increasingly unacceptable both for our members and for […]
The Equality Act 2006 dissolved the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Commission for Racial Equality and the Disability Rights Commission; to make provision about discrimination on grounds of religion or belief; to enable provision to be made about discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation; to impose duties relating to sex discrimination on persons performing public functions; […]
At UNISON National Delegate conference in 2007 held in Brighton, Motion 12 – Under Participation and Headed “Black Members Self Organised Group – Possible Name Change” suggested that the title “Black Members Self Organised Group” was no longer adequate to reflect the ethnic diversity of our membership and could even prevent workers from Eastern European […]
Climate change is the single greatest threat to the future development of humanity. It is estimated that by the year 2100, average temperatures will have risen by six degrees, if governments fail to act in the next ten years there will be catastrophic consequences in the future. The results of such climate change will be […]
Conference notes the British National Party (BNP) is a fascist organisation that denies the Holocaust and multiculturalism. It stands for creating an all white Britain, the destruction of trade unions and the elimination of basic democratic rights. The BNP has 49 councillors and polled a record 292,911 votes in May 2007. The May 2008 London […]
Conference notes that education at all ages is essential to empower ourselves and challenge racism in society. In most cases school is the first introduction to formal education. The government has revealed that the number of pupils excluded on the grounds of racist bullying rose by 29% between 2004 and 2005. There are concerns that […]
Conference notes that in a context of rising racism against all Black communities Muslims have been particularly singled out and targeted. The largest project monitoring Islamophibia undertaken following the events of September 11 by the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) in 2002 published the “Summary report on Islamophibia in the EU”. The […]
Conference notes that in 2007 the National Black Members’ Committee (NBMC)have supported the UNISON Health Service Group to develop a toolkit for Black workers to become activists. This resource highlights a series of steps to address Black under-representation, including guidance on how to become a steward, how to set up a Black members’ group, how […]
Conference notes that President Hugo Chavez’s government in Venezuela has introduced a number of inspiring social reforms since his first election in 1998. Previously, despite Venezuela’s oil wealth, 80% of the population, mostly people of African, indigenous Indian and mixed-race origin, lived below the poverty line without access to basic services. Now, for the first […]
Conference notes that rising racism creates an increasingly dangerous climate for all Black, Jewish and other minority communities. Despite the most common form of racist crime being harassment and verbal abuse, some Black people tragically are victim to violent attack. Between 2002-2005 government figures show 23 racially motivated murders in Britain. And yet, many racist […]
Conference notes that recent months have seen sections of the media and politicians attempt to discredit multiculturalism by holding it responsible for various social problems. Multiculturalism is the view that everybody should be able to live as they please, with the culture they want, so long as this does not harm others. It is a […]