SUPPORTING LGBT ASYLUM SEEKERS

This Conference believes: 1.To be LGBT remains illegal in many countries across the world, with LGBT people facing life prison sentences, beatings, rape, torture and even death; 2.Even in countries where the state does not officially sanction severe repression of LGBT people, homophobia and transphobia can be brutally rife; 3.The UK Asylum system should provide […]

HOMOPHOBIA IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR

Conference notes with concern growing levels of homophobia – particularly against young people – and the refusal of most schools and other education facilities to acknowledge that discrimination and inequality is an issue. Figures indicate that 72% of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual adults reported a regular history of absenteeism at school due to homophobic harassment. […]

LGBT CAMPAIGN GUIDE

This Conference notes the recent successful campaigns around LGBT issues, notably the campaign in favour of the LGBT rule change and our successes over Civil Partnerships and Pension rights and believes we can apply the lessons from these successful campaigns to campaign more successfully in the future. Conference believes that we still confront many challenges […]

Elder Abuse

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 […]

Personal and/or Nursing Care

Conference believes that the distinction between nursing and personal care should be ended. It is completely unacceptable to charge old and/or disabled people for essential and needed personal care. Good quality personal and nursing care should be provided on the basis of need, free and without means-testing. Conference instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee to […]

Campaign Against Government Increases for Life Long Learning Charge

Conference notes the increases in charges to attend classes for Lifelong Learning being proposed by the government. This will affect people on low pay and fixed incomes, especially pensioners. Any reduction in class attendance will result in class closures to the detriment of the students who attend for both academic, cultural and social stimulus. There […]

Retired Members’ Objectives for Labour Link

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 […]

Charter for Public Transport

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. […]

National Pensioners’ Convention

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 […]

Patients’ Forums

Conference will be aware that community health councils have been replaced with various types of patients forums designed to give people a say in the way in which their local hospital provides services. But too often the voice of older people is not heard and their views and needs not taken into account adequately. Therefore […]

Travel Insurance – Age Discrimination

Conference notes the general practice of the travel insurance industry to impose extra premiums on the simple fact that the traveller is of pensionable age. In view of the European Union’s Directive on Ageism, due to be implemented in October 2006, Conference requests the National Executive Council to conduct a campaign in conjunction with other […]

Meals on Wheels Changes

Conference notes with regret that some councils/social services are to stop daily deliveries of meals on wheels to senior citizens and vulnerable members of our communities. The service is to be replaced by a weekly delivery of frozen food packs. It is also proposed that anyone who does not have a microwave oven or freezer […]

CHARTER OF RIGHTS IN LAW FOR CITIZENS OF PENSION AGE

Conference agrees that with £25 billion surplus in the National Insurance Fund that it is no longer a question of money but the lack of political will on the part of government. Taking into consideration the support received for the National Pensioners’ Convention (NPC) Manifesto in the run up to the general election and the […]

Dedicated Care for Patients and Elderly or Have a Disability

Conference asks the National Executive Council to fight for the following changes to the National Health Service to ensure the comfort and care of elderly and disabled patients: An extra dedicated member of staff will be made available to all elderly and disabled patients when they are admitted to hospital. This member of staff will […]

Ageism and Holiday Insurance

Conference is aware that as members become older it becomes increasingly difficult and in some cases impossible to obtain suitable travel insurance especially on an annual policy basis, at a reasonable price. Our own UIA no longer offers an annual policy to those over 65 years and will only offer individual trips at highly inflated […]