Conference notes with concern that many women on the receiving end of domestic abuse are not aware they can invoke a non-molestation order against the perpetrator. Molesting means harassing, pestering or interfering with you or your children in some way, and also includes assault. Assault can mean pushing, punching, slapping, throwing objects, spitting at you […]
Conference motions
Fifteen percent of women suffer serious period pains each month, 35 per cent of women suffer moderate pains. Some women suffer pains so strong they are comparable to labour pains. But worse than this is the prospect that your employer will just mark down another absence, without discussion or understanding, and that this will affect […]
The recent murder of Clare Bernal at Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge highlights once again the failures of the criminal justice system in protecting women against male violence. Conference believes that until violence against women is given a priority by government and legislators, women such as Clare Bernal will continue to die needlessly at the hands […]
Conference notes that: 1)the number of part-time workers has increased dramatically over the last 20 years. There are now 7.3 million part-time workers in the United Kingdom and over three-quarters of them are women; 2)in UNISON about 40 percent of our women members work part-time; 3)women working part-time are earning on average 40 percent less […]
Conference commends the National Women’s Committee for the hard work it carries out throughout the year. Unfortunately, the National Women’s Committee is faced with an unrealistic workload. The tasks arising from the previous National Women’s Conference motions, together with valuable time spent planning and preparing for the next annual National Women’s Conference, are impracticable. Motions […]
The current proposals by the government and broadcasting agencies will see the ending of all analogue broadcasting in this country between 2006 and 2010 – digital TV will be imposed upon the whole population by 2012 at the latest. There is considerable concern that this may leave many elderly retired persons either with poor services […]
Conference recognises that ageing brings about the natural need for more optical and dental care. The costs of these essential services are constantly rising whilst pension increases lag well behind. Furthermore, dental care on the NHS is hardly available. More than five million pensioners are now subject to the means test for help to purchase […]
Conference considers that the present cost of utilities – electricity, gas and water charges, are disproportionate for pensioners whose income is limited. Conference believes that the best way to alleviate the effect of these charges upon pensioners is to fully restore the value of the state pension and the restoration of the earnings link to […]
The Prime Minister confirmed his commitment to improving employment rights in a speech at the TUC’s 2004 Congress. He said employers do not succeed by abusing employees (14 September 2004). The Prime Minister reaffirmed his position on a number of employment issues, confirming the government’s commitment to: 1)ensuring that people are able to exercise a […]
Conference notes that older women are often invisible in society and minimised by way of their contributions at work. Conference congratulates government in developing legislation to counter age discrimination and requires the National Women’s Committee to examine UNISON publications to ensure that a positive image of older women is generated through UNISON publications.
Conference is concerned that within many workplaces emails are generated that are sexist in nature and minimise the efforts of women as equals at work. Conference notes that views are often expressed through the medium of emails where they would not be expressed in person and are often derogatory or exclusionary of women and would, […]
Following the election of a Labour government for a third term, Conference requests that the National Retired Members’ Committee work with UNISON Labour Link as appropriate to promote the following objectives: 1)restoration of the link between pensions and earnings; 2)personal care to be included in long term care of the elderly; 3)free concessionary travel for […]
UNISON retired members have long recognised the need for affordable and efficient public transport for older people. Conference welcomes the launch of UNISON’s charter for public transport. It stresses the need to re-regulate services to produce improvements and highlights the failure of privatisation with bus fares rising faster than inflation and faster than motoring costs. […]
The National Pensioners’ Convention (NPC) was formed in 1979 to act as the umbrella organisation of the pensioners’ movement throughout the country. Affiliated groups include many national bodies and federations, associations of retired trade unionists, as well as hundreds of local and regional pensioner campaign groups. The NPC’s main objective is to promote the welfare […]
A House of Commons healthcare committee recently reported on the alarming prevalence of elder abuse. The report found that as many as half a million elderly people may be being abused. Elder abuse may take the form of sexual, physical and financial abuse, neglect and over-medication. Despite the extent of this problem, many people are […]