Raising Our Profile

Conference welcomes with enthusiasm the poster designed to advertise the 10th National Lesbian and Gay Conference. This acts as an excellent marketing tool to encourage members to become active within our union and could also assist with recruitment and retention throughout the organisation. Conference agrees that we need to encourage more members to become activists […]

Civil Registered Partnerships

Conference notes that family law relating to lesbian and gay couples and unmarried heterosexual couples is currently being developed on a case by case basis in the UK. This has led to seemingly contradictory rulings by different courts in the different UK legal systems. Conference welcomes the introduction of partnership registers by the Greater London […]

Equality Matters and UNISON

Equality is the cornerstone of UNISON. Work on equality issues is integrated into the union’s core activities and into the bargining agenda. UNISON Scotland notes that 2003 is also an important year for the EU Framework Employment Directive which will bring in new protection from discrimination in employment, for sexual orientation, religion or belief and […]

The Impact of Self-Organisation on the Bargaining Agenda

Conference believes that the fundamental purpose of our self-organisation is to improve the working lives of lesbians and gay men. Conference notes that the tenth anniversary of the formation of UNISON provides an opportunity to assess the impact of lesbian and gay self-organisation on the union’s bargaining agenda. Conference recognises that some progress has been […]

Organising for Our Future

Conference instructs the National Lesbian and Gay Committee (NLGC) to carry out the actions set out in the recommendations of the report ‘Organising for Our Future’ as follows: 1.to introduce a written constitution for the NLGC, from existing and agreed policies and procedures; 2.to increase the flow of information to activists by introducing more regular […]

Equality and Inclusion – Public Services Agenda for Lesbians & Gay Men – Inclusion in our Leisure

Conference notes that UNISON published a statement in June 2001 relating to Leisure Services for Lesbians and Gay Men. This statement made clear that: “UNISON believes the local administration of arts, sport and leisure can make an enormous difference to lesbians and gay men. Organised on the basis of inclusiveness, it can support lesbians and […]

Affiliated Political Fund

Conference notes with concern that the consultation on the political fund system due for Annual Delegate Conference 2002 has been delayed and the report is now due next year. The report was called for by a motion to 2001 National Delegate Conference. That motion, Motion 131 “The Labour Government – What do we get for […]

Equalities Commissions

Conference notes that the Government has set up a project to consider the feasibility of a single equality body, which is doe to publish a report for consultation towards the end of 2002. The starting point of the project is that the status quo cannot continue, as provision must be made for machinery to deliver […]

Right to Care Campaign

In November 2001, UNISON, with a number of other organisations, launched the Right to Care Campaign. The aims of the Campaign are as follows: 1)That the Government must introduce personal and nursing care that is free at the point of use and funded from general taxation; 2)That this care should be the entitlement of everyone, […]

Pensions

This Conference supports wholeheartedly Composite E which was carried at the 2002 UNISON National Delegate Conference. This Conference notes that we all rely on the pension earned during employment to provide a reasonable standard of living in retirement and financial protection for our families and partners in the event of death or ill health. This […]

Improvements in Communications

This Conference believes that existing means of communications between UNISON at a national level and branch retired members’ groups are practically non-existent. Conference strongly urges the National Retired Members’ Committee to take urgent remedial action to improve this situation. In particular, Conference requests that some form of regular publications such as the National Retired Members’ […]

Care Home Closures

This Conference condemns the fact that 700 long term care homes in England and Wales were closed during 2001 due to repeated loss of government funding. This Conference requests the National Executive Council, Affiliated Political Fund and other appropriate organisations to use their good offices with the current government to seek to reverse this trend […]

Discrimination

This Conference recognises the legal requirements of sex discrimination and race discrimination. It also recognises that age discrimination is used but is not illegal. This Conference demands that age discrimination is made illegal and instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee to make all representations through the National Executive Council, Affiliated Political Fund and other appropriate […]

Proposed Changes in Benefit Payment System 2003

During 2003, no exact date at present, the Benefits Agency is proposing to cease the payment of all state benefits, including benefits to pensioners, via the present weekly order book system. Instead, they intend to make payments to clients on a four week basis, direct into a bank account, thus removing yet another freedom of […]

Care Homes

This Conference calls upon the National Executive Council, Service Groups and Affiliated Political Fund to make representations to the Government to keep open local authority residential homes by any means possible, as care in the community is often inadequate for the needs of the recipients. This Conference deplores the fact that many people in residential […]