The Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is to be replaced from 2013/14 with the new Personal Independence Payment. It is completely clear that the Con-Dem multi-millionaire Government are introducing it to reduce the overall public budget devoted to giving allowances to disabled workers. Already the draft criteria for assessment of Personal Independence Payment rely heavily on […]
Conference motions
It is becoming increasingly apparent that some Unison retired members in Branches and Regions are experiencing difficulties in communicating with colleagues as they are not computer literate or able to afford computers, or their health makes it difficult to use. Therefore, this Unison National Retired Members Conference instructs the National Retired Members Committee and calls […]
The National Pensioners Convention (NPC) has produced a Dignity Code to uphold the rights and maintain the personal dignity of older people, within the context of ensuring the health, safety and well being of those who are increasingly less able to care for themselves or to properly conduct their affairs. Copy attached below. Signatories to […]
Osteoporosis (literally meaning porous bones) occurs when the trabecular structure of bones becomes thin causing them to become fragile and break more easily. By far the most likely people to suffer from osteoporosis are older people, and particularly older women. At the end of last year, after many years of campaigning by the National Osteoporosis […]
This Conference recalls that a motion was submitted by the South East Region to last year’s Retired Members’ Conference agenda, on the above subject, which was ruled non-competent by the Standing Orders’ Committee being ‘Beyond the Remit of the Conference’ since the timetable for all UNISON’s annual reports is set by the National Executive Council. […]
This National Retired Members Conference is concerned that the Basic State Pension (BSP) and Pension Credit (means-tested) are still well below the poverty level. According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the Minimum Income Standard for 2011 for a single pensioner, excluding rent or mortgage, is £154.62 per week, and for a pensioner couple £232.74 per […]
Conference is very concerned that the Coalition Government’s Budget on 21 March 2012 did nothing to help pensioners who are unable to cope with high winter fuel bills. The Winter Fuel Allowance was reduced in March 2011 by £100 (down from £400 to £300) for the over 80’s households and by £50 (down from £250 […]
Conference is concerned to learn that some residents in care homes may not have security of tenure and that due to a number of factors could find themselves being evicted at short notice. Conference condemns the continuing privatisation of the residential care sector which seems largely to be responsible for this alarming new problem and […]
FROZEN PENSIONS Conference deplores the government’s “frozen pensions” policy whereby British pensioners who live abroad in certain countries only receive a pension at the rate it was in the year they left the UK. There are around 555,000 “frozen” pensioners around the world, almost half of whom live in Australia. One of the oldest is […]
The Scottish Government has put a Police and Fire Reform bill before Parliament. One of the aims of the bill is to realise considerable savings through the efficiencies of rationalisation. The new Police Service for Scotland will involve an amalgamation of the current 8 Forces and Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA) into one Scottish Force. […]
This Conference notes the increasing use of the PCSO position as a stepping-stone into the rank of Constable. Some forces, including the Metropolitan Police, now require new Police Officers to serve a period of time as either a PCSO or a Special Constable before becoming a Police Officer. This Conference believes that the role of […]
This conference notes the devastating effects that the proposed outsourcing and privatisation processes being undertaken by West Midlands and Surrey Police forces will have on the Police Service and the communities that they serve. This conference believes that outsourcing will never be of benefit to our members, and that direct employment within the public sector […]
Conference believes that in a time of cuts, there has been an increase in the use of grievance procedures to attempt to resolve difficult issues ranging from bullying in the workplace to favouritism. Conference notes that different employers have many different ways of dealing with and resolving grievances, and there is a wide variation in […]
Conference, the threat included amongst the Winsor recommendations to withdraw shift premia and weekend working allowances present Unison with an opportunity to recruit staff in occupational groups where the removal of these elements of pay would have a massive impact. This motion calls for Unison to produce specific recruitment materials aimed at these workers .
Conference, the Winsor recommendations would mean that many of our members would lose a substantial amount of pay , and pension, because they will no longer receive shift premia or weekend allowance. This loss will mean people may lose their homes, will fall into debt, may decide they cannot afford to start a family, or […]