Grant Asylum Seekers the Right to Work

Conference notes the right to seek asylum is an internationally agreed human right under the Refugee Convention of 1951, which Britain signed after the Second World War, promising to provide sanctuary to those fleeing political and other forms of persecution. Conference further notes that many asylum seekers in Britain are incorrectly labelled “economic migrants” or […]

Challenging Racism in the Workplace

Conference notes the continuing and pervasive nature of racism experienced by Black members in workplaces across Britain. Conference further notes the abundant evidence that has been generated as a result of monitoring under the Race Relations Amendment Act (2000) to show that Black people continue to be under-represented in the workplace, and that this gets […]

Opposition to Single Group Funding Principles

Conference notes the outcome of the judicial review gained by Southall Black Sisters into Ealing Council’s decision to withdraw their funding. The finding being that the Council had failed to do a proper assessment of the potential impact of such a move. The Council’s decision was in part based on Government promoted principle that single […]

United Nations (UN) World Conference Against Racism Review

Conference notes the motion passed at National Black Members’ Conference in 2007 supporting calls for a Review Conference to follow up the UN World Conference Against Racism that took place in 2001. Conference further notes that UNISON Black members are working with community – led groups like the Global Afrikan Congress (GAC) and have made […]

Palestinian Workers’ Rights

We as Black members in the largest public sector union in Europe are fortunate that we enjoy access to representation, legal and other forms of aid as a result of our subscriptions. Some of our fellow trade unionists around the world are not so fortunate. The Israeli national trade union centre Histadrut and the Palestinian […]

Amendment to Standing Orders Rule 9.2 and 9.3 Rule Number & Heading 9.2 & 9.3

“When an amendment is defeated, a further amendment may be moved to the original motion.” Change to “When an amendment is defeated, the amendment which follows it on the Conference Order papers shall be moved.” “When an amendment to a motion is carried, the motion as so amended shall become the substantive motion, to which […]

Amendment to Standing Orders Rule 10.4 Rule Number & Heading 10.4

New Standing Order 10.4 “If there has been no speaker against a motion, no questions asked about the motion and any amendments have been accepted by the mover of the motion then there is no right of reply as there is nothing to reply to.”

Black Activist Tackling Racism at Work

Black members are still facing an uphill battle in the workplace; they encounter barriers in career progression, daily oppression from organisations institutional racist cultures and treated differently when raising grievances against employers which lead to the victimisation against many Black members. There is a common theme that for too long employers have been able to […]

Stop British American Tobacco Industry Eplotation of Developing Countries

Conference notes that In a shocking documentary on BBC2, it was revealed that British American Tobacco Industry (BAT) were promoting the sale of single stick cigarettes in countries such as Mauritius, Nigeria and Malawi thereby attracting children as young as 11 years old to purchase single stick cigarettes that worked out cheaper than the alternative […]

UNISON RETIRED MEMBERSHIP

This conference instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee to: i.Issue publicity material to ensure that retired members and branch secretaries are aware of the existence of UNISON Rule 6.1 whereby a retired member may become a member of the branch based closest to her/his place of residence; ii.Ensure that the necessary transfer documentation is available […]

MERGED RETIRED MEMBERS’ SECTIONS – CARD VOTES AT RETIRED MEMBERS’ CONFERENCES

This Conference instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee to ensure that where merged retired members’ sections exist, administrative arrangements are in place for the inclusion of retired members from all the branches concerned in card votes at retired members’ conferences.

BRANCH RETIRED MEMBERS SECTION SECRETARY

This Conference believes that the registration of individual retired members and retired member contacts is essential to the running of the National Retired Members Organisation. Conference, however, notes that there is no mention of the post of Branch Retired Members Section Secretary in the list of Branch Officers set out in both the National Rules […]

COMMONWEALTH PENSIONERS

Conference notes that over 520,000 expatriate pensioners living in Commonwealth countries have contributed to a United Kingdom pension which has been arbitrarily frozen at the level it was first received. As a result, their state pension decreases in value in real terms every year. For example, a pensioner who retired in 1999 with a pension […]

PHASING IN OF FULL NATIONAL INSURANCE PENSION

This Conference welcomes the reduction in qualifying years for a full National Insurance Pension to 30 years from April 20th 2010. Conference notes with concern however that the Government has refused to phase in the change and this will result in individuals being significantly disadvantaged. It will also cause unfairness and resentment among those women […]

CAUCUS MEETING AT RETIRED MEMBERS’ CONFERENCE

Conference believes that Retired Members’ Conference should include Caucus Meetings for Black Members, Disabled Members, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Members and Women Members. This would establish parity with all the Conferences of their working counterparts who have had such meetings as part of their timetable virtually since UNISON’s inception in 1993. These meetings provide […]