MATERNITY AND CARERS RIGHTS

Conference welcomes the new rights for parents and carers which were introduced in the Work and Families Act 2007, particularly the increases in statutory maternity and adoption pay and allowances, and the removal of the length of service requirement for Additional Maternity Leave. However, conference notes that, largely due to the efforts of UNISON in […]

NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT – YOUNG WOMEN AND PENSIONS

In 2007, research by a private bank showed that over half of women aged between 35 and 44 had made no pension provision – apparently believing that they could rely on either their husband or an inheritance to ensure that they did not spend their latter years in poverty. With the credit crunch biting, soaring […]

LIMIT OF SPEECHES

Add new standing order 14.4 14.4The Chair shall, at their discretion, extend a particular speaker’s time limit if their access requirements have an impact on speaking time.

MOTIONS AND AMENDMENTS NOT ON THE AGENDA (EMERGENCY MOTIONS)

Delete standing order 11.1.1 and replace with : 11.1.1Such motion or amendment shall be in writing, signed by the appropriate persons from the body on whose behalf it is submitted and shall be sent to the Standing Orders Committee at least five working days before the commencement of Conference, except if it relates to events […]

GROUPED DEBATES AND SEQUENTIAL VOTING

Add new final sentence to standing order 16.1 This is subject to the agreement of the parties that submitted the motions.

AMENDMENTS TO A MOTION

Delete standing orders 13.4.1 and 13.4.2 and replace with: 13.4The mover of a motion may accept an amendment or amendments to their motion, but each amendment must be moved separately and voted upon.

TRAFFICKING OF WOMEN AND GIRLS – A TRADE UNION ISSUE

Conference recognises that there is a considerable problem with trafficking of women for use as prostitutes throughout the United Kingdom. This is an issue, which may be predominant in the big cities but has permeated into all areas of the country. However conference recognises that trafficking is not just an issue for women being brought […]

TAXING THE POOR

Conference is appalled at the government’s decision to abolish the 10p tax rate, a decision which forces more than five million workers up into the twenty per cent tax bracket and which adversely affects people in the poorer half of the population, those earning less than £18,000 per annum. Despite the government announcing some further […]

THE EQUALITY BILL AND PROCUREMENT

Conference welcomes the new measures announced in the Government’s Equality Bill aimed at tackling inequality in the workplace, but believes that the proposals do not go far enough. In its response to the consultation on the bill, UNISON had raised concerns that whilst the duties may be extended across all strands, the actual requirements within […]

ETHIOPIAN WOMEN AND FISTULA

In Ethiopia seventy five per cernt of the population live, on average, two and half days walk from an all-weather road. There are few maternity medical services and as a result approx nine thousand women each year will develop an obstetric fistula (a hole in the birth canal). Fistulas can be caused by rape but […]

EQUALITY MEANS = REALLY MAKING IT HAPPEN

Equality is at the very heart of UNISON, and one of the union’s stated aims is to promote equality and challenge discrimination, so Conference applauds the arrival of the UNISON equality scheme. The UNISON equality scheme has meant that every region, department and service group of UNISON now has a two year equality action plan […]

RECOGNISING THE NEED FOR BME WOMEN’S SERVICES

Conference congratulates Southall Black Sisters (SBS) for their victory in the High Court in July 2008 when they challenged Ealing Council’s interpretation of the Race Relations Amendment Act and helped secure the future of BME women’s services. SBS were forced to take their case to the High Court when Ealing Council withdrew funding from the […]

A MILLION WOMEN RISING IN UNISON

This conference notes with increasing concern the seeming lack of increased participation and activism of women in a union that is proud to have a million plus women in membership. In order to establish where we are it is essential that we have accurate and current data; that will give us a baseline on which […]

CAMPAIGN FOR A BREAST CANCER FREE FUTURE

Conference believes that all girls and women should have a future free from the fear of breast cancer. Conference supports the Government, the NHS and its staff in their continued commitment to improve breast cancer services in order to make the vision of a future free from the fear of breast cancer a reality for […]