Conference congratulates the Million Women Rise Coalition (MWRC) on the success of the 2008 march and rally which saw over 5,000 women and girls gathered in London to protest male violence against women and endemic gender discrimination. The rally was addressed by a range of inspiring speakers from across the country, representing a broad spectrum […]
Conference motions
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 […]
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 […]
Conference applauds the National Women’s Committee for its previously undertaken work on sexual violence and the conference policy decisions to support the work of Rape Crisis. However there is much still to do. Conference believes that rape crisis centres are essential and distinctly different in their role to the government created Sexual Assault Referral Centres […]
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 […]
Ovarian cancer is still the fourth most common cause of death from cancer amongst women in the UK. Every year about six thousand women in the UK are diagnosed with this disease, the majority of these cases only have a few symptoms, which are treated as other illnesses until finally being diagnosed with ovarian cancer. […]
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 […]
Conference recognises the value of Fair-trade in getting a better deal for poor people from trade. Conference welcomes: The fact that the number of producer organisations in developing countries now selling into UK markets has grown to more than 350; The Government to encourage Fair-trade in all of its Departments which includes all the local […]
Conference notes that in 2007 the National Autistic Society (NAS) published its report containing the largest ever survey conducted into autism and education in the UK. The report highlighted the lack of provision and training for teachers dealing with autism in general, including families struggling to access support for their children. This was consistently worse […]
Conference notes the continuing and pervasive nature of racism experienced by Black members in workplaces across Britain. Conference further notes the abundant evidence that has been generated as a result of monitoring under the Race Relations Amendment Act (2000) to show that Black people continue to be under-represented in the workplace, and that this gets […]
Conference believes that the best tool to recruit Black members into UNISON is by highlighting our success for individual members and collectively at a local, regional and national level. Conference further believes that more Black activists must take up active roles within UNISON at all levels as this will in turn also promote and encourage […]
Conference notes the right to seek asylum is an internationally agreed human right under the Refugee Convention of 1951, which Britain signed after the Second World War, promising to provide sanctuary to those fleeing political and other forms of persecution. Conference further notes that many asylum seekers in Britain are incorrectly labelled “economic migrants” or […]
Conference recognises that Black members face distinct challenges in becoming active within UNISON structures. Many Black members who join UNISON want to become more involved but there are few signposts to show them the way. Conference supports UNISON’s Fair Representation Policy as an important principle but believes this has not generated a significant increase in […]
Conference notes the outcome of the judicial review gained by Southall Black Sisters into Ealing Council’s decision to withdraw their funding. The finding being that the Council had failed to do a proper assessment of the potential impact of such a move. The Council’s decision was in part based on Government promoted principle that single […]
Conference notes the motion passed at National Black Members’ Conference in 2007 supporting calls for a Review Conference to follow up the UN World Conference Against Racism that took place in 2001. Conference further notes that UNISON Black members are working with community – led groups like the Global Afrikan Congress (GAC) and have made […]