Asylum Seekers

Conference notes that the government is determined to introduce still another round of asylum/immigration legislation that will further restrict refugee rights, having already announced dramatic cuts in legal aid for asylum cases. Features of the forthcoming legislation will include: 1)added restrictions on the right to appeal negative decisions, with little or no access to higher […]

Young Lesbians and Gay Men – The Need for a National Strategy

Conference notes that young lesbians and gay men are six times more likely to attempt suicide than other young people. They are also more likely to succeed, so they account for over half of actual youth suicide in the UK. Conference therefore welcomes the repeal of Section 28 as the single most effective step to […]

The Management of Health and Safety Regulations to Include Stress

We call upon Conference to adopt this motion to press for the inclusion of the recognition of stress to be included in regulation 3(1)(a) of The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The main problems are that under the current legislation there are no laws that recognise work-related stress as an illness. […]

Black Children’s Educational Needs

Removal of Unnecessary Police Management

Conference notes with pride the unity that forming our Service Group has brought to the family that makes up Police Staff. We note the strength that unity brings to us and we are aware that we are now able to influence the way we work, our employers and our law makers. Unity brings strength and, […]

Fair Play For Front Line Workers

Conference notes with concern: 1)the number of our low paid members in front line public service jobs who have their employment terminated on the grounds of incapacity; 2)that conditions affecting those members, such as vibration white finger, cervical spondylitis, carpel tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow are invariably caused by the nature of the job involving […]

Racism in UNISON

Conference believes all UNISON branches must have clear and transparent policies on equal opportunity and self-organisation groups firmly written into their branch rules. 1)National Black Members’ Committee (NBMC) and National Executive Council (NEC) to endorse the above recommendations with a growing need to tackle racial discrimination or any other form of discrimination within UNISON. 2)To […]

Facility Time Off for Self-Organised Group Members

Currently members are finding it extremely difficult to attend and be actively involved in UNISON. Members have been continuously forced to take annual leave or flexi-time off for UNISON activities. Let us not have a separatist union of Them and Us. If UNISON is serious about equality then it should follow its own equality policies, […]

Promotion and Opportunities for Black Employees in Public Services

Conference believes that there is a ceiling of opportunities for promotion of black employees within the public services, in health and local government. The rate of black employees as compared to the black population within the public service employment falls below the acceptable level. Despite the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, which requires public service […]

UNISON’s Opposition to Institutional Racism

Conference notes that this, our tenth anniversary year also sees the tenth anniversary of the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence. We therefore welcome the fact that the National Executive Council has decided that this year our underlying anniversary theme will be opposing racism and promoting equality. Conference welcomes the fact that UNISON has developed an […]

Institutional Racism:Learning from Experience

Conference welcomes the publication of the report Cyclonic Organisation Authority, Culture and Racism by Lambeth Council and of the report of the Lambeth Scrutiny Commission on Racism. We note that UNISON co-operated in the publication of both of these reports, which highlighted the problem of institutional racism in Lambeth Council. Conference further welcomes the decision […]

Racism in UNISON

The recent revelation at the 2003 National Delegate Conference, that UNISON members had voted for the BNP and in effect had supported the election of BNP candidates into local authority seats has rocked the confidence of black members in this union. In Yorkshire & Humberside we have tried to raise the issue of racism in […]

Industrial Decline and Growth of Racist and Fascist Attitudes

Conference notes that in the last two to three decades the social reality has changed drastically. Heavy industries have suffered a meltdown, whole region become de-industrialised, and traditional working and social environments have changed radically. This has led to a growth in social exclusion and had a damaging effect on community cohesion. At the same […]

National Black Members’ Conference to be Held in November Each Year

The Scottish Region notes with grave concern at the loss of opportunity to hold its annual delegate’s conference in the year 2003. It notes that while other self organised groups had the opportunity of producing policies for their national committees to operate on, the National Black Members’ Committee (NBMC) is disadvantaged in getting the policies […]

Northern Complainant Aid Fund

Conference is appalled and concerned about the way in which the closure of Northern Complainant Aid Fund (NCAF) was handled by the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE). NCAF has consistently emerged as the best ever practice model for Race Relations Act (1976) ‘Section 44 funding aimed at assisting organisations concerned with “the promotion of equality […]