Conference notes that in recent years UNISON has evolved from an organisation with a servicing culture to one with an organising approach. The union is more likely to get good results where it has strong membership organisation. Strong membership is based on the following organising principles: i.Working collectively; ii.Listening to members’ views; iii.Knowing where our […]
Conference motions
This Conference believes that the registration of individual retired members and retired member contacts is essential to the running of the National Retired Members Organisation. Conference, however, notes that there is no mention of the post of Branch Retired Members Section Secretary in the list of Branch Officers set out in both the National Rules […]
Conference believes that although we are firmly committed to the restoration of the earnings link we should also seek to strengthen the link to price increase. Conference notes that the “shopping basket” used to calculate the price index contains many items that are not relevant to pensioners, for example, video games. Conference therefore requests that […]
Conference notes that over 520,000 expatriate pensioners living in Commonwealth countries have contributed to a United Kingdom pension which has been arbitrarily frozen at the level it was first received. As a result, their state pension decreases in value in real terms every year. For example, a pensioner who retired in 1999 with a pension […]
This Conference welcomes the reduction in qualifying years for a full National Insurance Pension to 30 years from April 20th 2010. Conference notes with concern however that the Government has refused to phase in the change and this will result in individuals being significantly disadvantaged. It will also cause unfairness and resentment among those women […]
Conference deplores the abolition of the 10p income tax band and its impact on pensioners especially those aged 60-64 for whom it will have a particularly adverse effect. Conference believes it was not the intention of Gordon Brown, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, to disadvantage pensioners in this way, but also recognises that initiatives should […]
Conference believes that the few retired people who, on retirement, want to pursue higher education in the form of undergraduate and graduate courses should enjoy an exemption from tuition fees. Apart from these fees being grossly unfair they assume an affordability which will not be the case for the majority of pensioners undertaking these courses. […]
Conference believes that Retired Members’ Conference should include Caucus Meetings for Black Members, Disabled Members, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Members and Women Members. This would establish parity with all the Conferences of their working counterparts who have had such meetings as part of their timetable virtually since UNISON’s inception in 1993. These meetings provide […]
Conference deplores the increasing incidence of mail, internet, phone and other scams aimed specifically at vulnerable elderly people. Tragic tales of elderly people sending off hundreds or thousands of pounds to bogus competitions, lotteries etc on the promise of a large cash prize are all too prevalent, and seem to be on the increase. Conference […]
At the 2007 Retired Members’ Annual Conference, an Emergency Motion was carried, with the third highest support, calling for a single Government Minister for responsibility for the Elderly. Since then a Commissioner for the Elderly has been appointed for Wales, by the Welsh Assembly, with responsibility for ensuring all aspects for the elderly receive appropriate […]
The age addition to the over 80s was first introduced in 1971. The value was set at 25p representing 5% of the weekly State Pension of £5. It was a welcome addition. If it had risen relative to the State Pension it would now be worth about £4.50 a week. The mighty amount of 25p […]
Conference whilst accepting UNISON needs to prioritise working members’ issues, regrets the minimal support given to retired members in UNISON publications as well as the failure of some branches to maximise the potential of their retired members. Conference instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee and calls on the National Executive Council to urgently address these […]
Conference regrets that in his March 2008 Budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, again failed to increase the basic state pension to restore its value if the link to average earnings had not been broken by Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative Government. Pensioners should have an immediate rise now to restore the pension value and […]
Conference notes the ever increasing closures of post offices across the whole of the UK. Post offices are not just somewhere to buy stamps or post letters and parcels but are in fact a vital asset both in rural and urban areas. Many pensioners do not have a banking account and particularly in rural areas […]
Conference notes that the present policy for venues is to have alternating venue in the North and South of the country. Conference considers, however, that this policy means that excellent venues in Central England are being overlooked in places as diverse as Birmingham, Derby, Gloucester, Nottingham and Oxford. Conference believes that venues in Central England […]