Conference is concerned that a woman’s right to access safe and legal abortion is increasingly coming under attack. Pro Life, a misleadingly titled anti-choice organisation which aims to criminalise all abortion, is gaining media time and coverage. They have already influenced and encouraged an Early Day Motion which commits Parliament to a review of the […]
Conference motions
Conference is pleased to note that UNISON has purchased the site of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital for conversion to its new national office. Elizabeth Garret Anderson (EGA) 1836-1917 was the first woman to qualify as a doctor in the United Kingdom (UK) in 1865. As universities did not admit women she had a struggle, […]
Conference notes that despite the shortage of prison places, and the current overcrowding in Britain’s jails, women are still far more likely to receive custodial sentences than men committing comparable crimes. Conference is also concerned to note that despite comprising only six per cent of the prison population, 55 per cent of all self-harm incidents […]
Conference notes with concern the recent increase in the numbers of men travelling abroad solely for the purpose of procuring sex. Whilst Conference acknowledges that this increase is partly due to the availability of cheaper air fares, Conference is also aware that sex tourism is yet another by-product of globalisation, which has amplified disparities of […]
Conference believes that all girls and women should, by right, have access to free immunisation against cervical cancer as soon as the vaccine is licensed. Conference also believes that it is obscene that a vaccine that it is known will save lives is likely to be made available on an ability to pay basis. Conference […]
Conference notes that people seek asylum for many reasons but that women can face additional persecution on the grounds of their gender, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation. This persecution often includes physical and sexual violence. Conference further notes that the Refugee Convention of 1951 does not specify gender and sexual orientation as specific […]
Conference welcomes the work carried out by the National Women’s Committee on involving LGBT women in women’s self-organisation. Conference notes that it is now nearly two years since the rule amendment was passed that introduced the LGBT group and enabled bisexual and transgender women to self-organise on the grounds of their sexual orientation and gender […]
Conference is committed to UNISON’s campaign to tackle domestic violence as a trade union issue. The government’s initiative “A Fairer Deal for Legal Aid” led to the Carter Report which was out for consultation until October 2006. Conference is concerned at the revision to the Civil Legal Aid Scheme in respect of dispute resolution. The […]
Conference believes that term time working is an issue that affects predominantly women, as many women choose jobs in educational establishments to fit in with their child care commitments. Due to social security legislation they are excluded from claiming benefits in the holiday periods, which means that they have either no income or are forced […]
Conference believes that the proposed changes to the state pension have a disproportionate impact on women for the following reasons. The number of years which have to be worked to ensure a complete contribution record entitling a woman to a full state pension, discriminates against women who have taken time out from the workplace to […]
Conference notes that Ministers have announced that the Department for Work and Pensions will not extend the contract for the Post Office card account beyond 2010 despite the fact that 2.3 million pensioners use the card as a way of collecting their state pension. When the Government ended the use of pension books in 2003, […]
Conference notes that on May 25th 2006 the Government published a Pensions White Paper setting out how it planned to implement the recommendations of the Turner Report. The White Paper contains some positive proposals intended to increase the value of the state pension in the light of the decline of many occupational pensions and include […]
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 […]
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 […]
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.’