For too many years now it seems that the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) are neither able nor willing to negotiate with the unions in good faith. It appears that perhaps UCEA is acting as an arm of the Conservative Government, representing year after year of increasingly austerity for staff working in Higher Education. […]
Conference motions
Despite the Equal Pay Act coming into force over 50 years ago, there remains a persistent gender pay gap on university campuses across the United Kingdom. According to the Times Higher Education (THE), the mean pay gap in Higher Education in 2020 – 2021 was 14.8% which was higher than the UK average of 11.3%. […]
Conference notes that 2023 was designated UNISON’s year of Black workers, with the aim of ‘establishing legacy to generate change’. Conference welcomes all the work that has been put into marking the year of Black workers, but notes that there is still a long way to go, particularly in regards to young Black members in […]
Conference is clear about the impact of HR processes can have in fairness and equality at work. One example is talent management strategies, which are often designed and implemented in a manner that can lead to a significant disparity in opportunities for Black employees across sectors. The Chartered Institute of People Development (CIPD) defines Talent […]
The National Health Service (NHS) reported that 3.25 million individuals had contact with mental health services during 2021/22 which is approximately 5.8 percent of the population. The Mental Health Foundation tells us that 50% of mental health problems are established by age 14 and 75% by age 24, yet many young people have not had […]
It was reported in 2022 via a leaked National Health Service (NHS) report that Black youth and Black individuals in general were being failed by the system. They now make up 11 per cent of the population however 36 per cent of individuals detained in the highest level units are Black, with limited access to […]
Conference notes barriers faced by Black people when accessing information and treatment for mental health care. Black communities are more likely to experience stigma and shame due to negative stereotyping and attitudes of rejection around mental health awareness. In our region, Black individuals are significantly affected due to racism, discrimination and cultural insensitivity. Work-related stress […]
The history of Black women’s involvement in the union in the UK is an extended, valuable and greatly inspiring one, yet the narratives of Black women activists have often been wiped away or minimised. Black women have long led the way in organising strategies and mobilising communities in the fight against racism and justice for […]
Conference wishes the following to be considered as one of the choices for the two motions and/or amendments to Rule to be submitted by the Retired Members’ Organisation to National Delegate Conference 2024 in accordance with Rule D.1.10.4: “Rule D – Structure of the union at national level. In Rule D.2 – National Executive Council […]
Almost 1,000 ticket offices are set to close across the country with the loss of thousands of jobs and creating accessibility problems for different types of travellers, especially for older people and persons with disabilities not using smart phones or computers, without ticket offices and on station support a huge swathe of passengers could be […]
This conference notes that whilst the retention of the Triple Lock for the year beginning April 2023 must be applauded, in no small part to our own campaigning, we need to be wary of what the future holds. Conference must not be complacent and we will need to keep fighting for its retention in the […]
There are almost 11 million people aged 65 and over in the UK which represents nearly 20% of the total population. Yet the government continues to ignore the plight of many pensioners and to place the interests of developers and the private sector housing providers before the housing needs of older people. Many pensioners facing […]
Conference – with the publication of the Casey review, and with the first national Police National Database (PND) vetting of all staff and officers recently completed, the omission of the requirement to declare masonic membership still manages to duck the bullet. All staff and officers have to regularly complete vetting forms and declare membership or […]
Conference notes with concern the decision in 2022 by London Pride that the Metropolitan Police could not march at Pride in uniform, and the decision in 2023 by Brighton Pride that Kent Police would not be welcome to march this year. However, Conference also notes the Baroness Casey Review into the Metropolitan Police reported “institutional […]
Conference notes that many thousands of people are waiting for life changing and life saving organ donation. Since 1 June 2023, the law around organ donation has changed from an opt-in to an opt-out system. It is hoped that this change will increase the number of organs donated. Whilst the majority of organs used for […]