On 29 October 2008 the Department for Transport launched a 12 week consultation document proposing five further restrictions to the statutory travel concession scheme in England. They stated that it had never been intended to cover all local public transport services. Only 128 responses were received. None came from any Trades Union! Passed into law […]
Conference motions
This Conference calls upon the National Retired Members’ Committee and ultimately the National Executive Council to use whatever means at its disposal to lobby the Government with a view to creating Commissioners for Older and Vulnerable People (as in Wales) to champion the interests of these people in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Conference welcomes the Government initiative that councils provide free swimming facilities for the over 60s. Conference notes however that not all councils are providing this facility. Conference instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee to campaign to get all councils to provide this facility.
Conference notes with concern that there is no specific law which addresses Elder Abuse and makes it an aggravated offence, as is the case with child abuse. Conference therefore instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee, and calls upon the trade union movement, to urge the legal establishment and HM Government to make Elder Abuse an […]
This Conference calls upon the National Executive Council to use all means at its disposal to abolish discrimination against single persons and in particular older retired persons by hotels and other establishments in charging single room supplements.
One million people will develop dementia in the next ten years. One in three people over the age of 65 will die from dementia, but it can happen at any age. Drugs may alleviate some symptoms but dementia can be defeated. For every £283 invested in cancer research dementia gets only £11! Conference therefore instructs […]
This Conference calls upon the National Executive Council to investigate the matter of conference accommodation bearing in mind the difficulties encountered at the 2008 conference venue, namely the Crowne Plaza in Glasgow, by some delegates. The conference section had booked a number of rooms at special rates and after those had been allocated delegates were […]
Conference notes with concern that despite UNISON’s support for Composite 6 on the state pension and restoring the link to earnings for increases carried at the 2006 TUC Conference, nothing tangible has taken place to improve the lot of today’s pensioners. According to a recent independent report on ‘Households below average income level’, more than […]
This Conference believes Elderly people deserve the best possible care in their latter years. Conference has in the past expressed concern about the level of care in the community, particularly where this service has been outsourced. Some care provision in sheltered accommodation is now provided by contacts on refrigerators to indicate to a central point […]
Conference is aware that whilst the national pension is held at a level below the Government’s declared poverty level many of our members are experiencing financial difficulties. Low paid and part-time women workers are retiring and finding that their combined national and occupational pensions leave them needing to apply for benefits in order to reach […]
Conference is aware of the anxiety suffered when a relative or loved one is caught up in an emergency situation particularly the elderly. Anything that can be done to reduce the anxiety and to aid more effective communications has got to be a good thing. In July 2007 Vodafone Netherlands started a national awareness campaign […]
Conference welcomes the decision of the NEC to approve the merger of the Water and Environment and Transport Service Group Executives. Conference notes that the Executive’s planning for the merger of the two service groups was unavoidably delayed while the NEC consultation on the review of service groups took place. Consequently there has not been […]
During this credit crunch we are yet again seeing jobs disappear in our sector despite economic downturns having little detrimental impact on our business. Thames Water and the disgraceful treatment of its call centre staff is the latest example of an employer attempting to hike up already obscene profits. Conference is also appalled over the […]
This Water and Environment conference congratulates Scottish Water branch on industrial action taken in opposition to an imposed pay figure by their employers which led to an acceptable pay offer. Other branches in Water and Environment are encouraged by this development and call on the national officers to produce a guidance document to assist branches […]
Conference notes that continuing levels of prejudice and discrimination faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) workers means that a high proportion do not reveal their sexual orientation or gender history at work, there are also private individuals who consider their sexual orientation or gender history to be no one else’s business but their […]