Migrant Workers

National Black Members Conference welcomes the overwhelming support expressed at UNISON National Delegate Conference 2005 for Composite G, which called for an amnesty for illegal workers to end exploitation. We note that the successful composite dealt with the vital need to organise migrant workers, and also called upon the Government to grant an amnesty for […]

Tackling High Levels of Unemployed Black Disabled People

Conference notes that the number of unemployed Black disabled people is rising significantly. Indeed, recent figures indicate that Black disabled people are amongst the highest unemployed groups in society. This is unacceptable and discriminatory in a climate that is supposed to be committed to promoting and eliminating unlawful discrimination in the workplace. With the Agenda […]

Claiming our Children from the Streets

With increased cuts in youth services and the impact this has on young people in inner city communities’ Conference notes with concern the level of youth offending and gang cultures. Conference notes with great concern the most recent spate of black on black violence manifesting in street robberies assaults and in some instances the murder […]

Progress of Black Members Issues in UNISON

The motion titled “PROGRESS OF BLACK MEMBERS’ ISSUES IN UNISON” Submitted by the National Black Members’ Conference held January 2006 to UNISON National Delegate Conference 20 – 23 June 2006 was not reached at National Delegate Conference June 2006. Birmingham Branch Black Members Self Organised Group calls on the National Black Members Conference 2007 to […]

Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006

As a result of the new immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, someone who has been accepted as a work permit holder will have to live through five years of uncertainty until the UK Government confirms they can remain here permanently and be granted permanent resident status. Conference believes that it is unfair that this […]

Retired Members’ Forums

The South East Region Retired Members’ Committee strongly objects to the resolution passed at the National Delegate Conference 2006 apparently down grading retired members’ committees to the status of forums, without consultation with retired members at any level. Conference instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee to vigorously seek to regain the original status for retired […]

Standing Order 9 – Reference of Outstanding Items

Delete Standing Order 9.1 and insert new Standing Order 9.1: ‘If, at the end of the Conference, the Final Agenda has not been concluded, outstanding motions and amendments shall be referred to the National Retired Members Committee which shall report to members its decisions on those matters. All such motions and amendments shall be responded […]

Standing Order 4 – Limit of Speeches

Delete Standing Order 4.1 and insert new Standing Order 4.1: ‘The mover of a motion or an amendment shall not be allowed to speak for more than five minutes and each succeeding speaker for not more than three minutes, except where the Standing Orders Committee have decided otherwise.’

The National Pensioners Convention

Conference regrets that: 1)Lord Turner and the Pensions Commission have made no recommendations to improve the basic state pension until 2010: 2)the Government White Paper has no plans to increase immediately the basic state pension which represents at least half of many pensioners’ weekly income. Conference believes that improving the basic state pension and paying […]

Annual State Pension Increase

Conference supports the view that to use the information needed to set the increase in state pension in the month of March that year preceding the April announcement would be much fairer because it would take into account any recent increases in costs, rather than using September the previous year. Conference calls upon the National […]

Women’s Pensions

Conference notes that the current pension system was designed in the 1940’s and cast women as dependents. This means that subsequent generations of women have lost out because of unequal pay, part-time working, and caring responsibilities giving them lower incomes over their lifetime and for too many, poverty in old age. The plight of women […]

CARE OF THE ELDERLY

Conference calls upon the National Executive Council to campaign for improvement in the monitoring of the quality of care for the elderly, disabled and chronically sick delivered by all providers. The malnutrition and abuse of the elderly must be eradicated, and the valuable work done by carers recognised. Conference also calls for the re-affirmation of […]

RESIDENTIAL AND NURSING HOME FEES/CONTRIBUTIONS

Conference condemns the continuing uncertainty for and inequitable treatment of elderly, disabled or chronically sick persons taking up or residing in a nursing or residential home. This is because of the independent powers vested in local authorities to determine the extent to which the applicant and/or their family is required to contribute to the costs […]

AGEISM

Conference welcomes the introduction of Age Regulations which will outlaw age discrimination in employment and training from October 2006. Although it may be possible to outlaw age discrimination in the work place, changing the culture of ageism will be much harder. Older people continue to have to accept differences in treatment on the grounds of […]

COUNCIL TAX BENEFITS

Conference notes that over recent years many older people have been facing large increases in their Council Tax bills. However, up to two million pensioners are missing out on Council Tax Benefit which could cut their bill by £540 a year. Council Tax Benefit is the most unclaimed benefit of all – with pensioners losing […]