Black Members' Conference 2010

The UNISON Black Members' Conference takes place from Friday 22 to Sunday 24 January 2010 at the Sage Gateshead.

WEATHER UPDATE: Monday 18 January 2010
UNISON has checked various long term weather forecasts and sees no reason for cancelling the Black Members' Conference.  The Conference will therefore go ahead as scheduled.

CURRENT WEATHER CONDITIONS
UNISON conferences are important events in the calendar of our members and we invest a lot of time in preparing them.  We are reluctant to cancel or postpone these events without serious consideration.  In adverse conditions there are a range of factors which impact the decision to go ahead with a conference.

• We monitor travel and weather conditions and in the case of the 2010 Black Members’ Conference, due to take place in Newcastle 22-24 January 2010, we will check the long term weather forecast at the start of that week Monday 18 January.  Updates on whether the conference can go ahead will be placed on the website from Tuesday 19^th January.  Regions and will also be emailed by 2pm of that same day and asked to contact members directly if the conference is to be cancelled.
• We monitor whether the venue can open to the public with sufficient staff and resources, which is subject to local conditions.
• We monitor whether UNISON staff can get to the venue to organise the event.
• If individual delegates are unable to attend a conference due to transport or  weather conditions, they should advise their branch as soon as possible, so that possible alternative arrangements can be made, including providing an alternative means of transport, or sending a different delegate, or cancelling branch booked accommodation and nationally booked travel tickets.
• Should weather or travel conditions affect delegates’ ability to return home following the conference, the Conference & Events Manager will liaise with the local Accommodation Bureau to aim to secure additional overnight accommodation, and with Stewart Corporate Travel to aim to reschedule return journeys booked through them.  Branches will remain responsible for any additional accommodation costs incurred should delegates be unable to return home as planned.
• If any delegate has any particular individual circumstance that needs immediate support and intervention form UNISON nationally, we will endeavour to use the union’s resources to assist.

 If a member wishes to discuss individual concerns then they can also contact me as Conference and Events Manager: Stephanie Grant, s.grant@unison.co.uk or the Conference Organiser for the Black Members’ Conference: Michelle Gregory. m.gregory@unison.co.uk and we will do our best to advise and assist, or contact us by calling the Conference Office 020 7551 1123.

The conference timetable is:

• Deadline for Submission of Motions: 12noon Tuesday 15 September 2009
• Publication of Preliminary Agenda: Friday 9 October 2009
• Deadline for Submission of Delegates: Friday 30 October 2009
• Deadline for Amendment to Motions: 12.00noon Wednesday 11 November 2009
• Publication of Final Agenda: Friday 11 December 2009

The bulletin for UNISON’s Black Members' Conference has been sent to branches and contains all the relevant forms and documents for this event - all of which can be downloaded here.

You can download the conference bulletin below. Please note that it is 35 pages long.

The following documents can be found on these pages:

Pages 1-4: key information
Pages 5-15: conference forms
Pages 16-23: travel forms
Pages 24-30: standing orders
Pages 31-36: advice from standing orders committee.

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