Draft amendments for Unison conference

Submitted by AWL on 29 March, 2004 - 8:04

The following text may be of use to activists drafting amendments for Unison conference. The deadline for amendments is 26 April.

For the text of the motions, see the Unison website.
Amendment to motion 002

Delete point e) and replace with:
e) recognises the link between recruitment and a vibrant internal democratic structure that enables members to genuinely participate in decision making and holding elected representatives to account at all levels of the union.

***
Amendment to motion 026 - National Minimum Wage

Delete clause 2 and replace:

2) while the government has agreed to extend the minimum wage to apply to workers aged 16 and 17, it is doing so by creating a third level - even lower than that paid to 18 - 21 year olds;

Add new 6):

6) Since the introduction of the minimum wage Inland Revenue enforcement officers have identified over £13 million in pay arrears for workers. Their helpline has responded to over 333,000 enquiries and handled over 10,000 complaints about non-payment of the minimum wage. But there are less than 100 compliance officers.

Delete clause a) and replace:

a) the National Minimum Wage full rate to apply to all workers aged 16 or above, regardless of their age;

Delete clause b) and replace:

b) more resources being provided to the Inland Revenue to ensure that sufficient Minimum Wage Enforcement Officers are in post to handle the increased workload caused by the extension of the minimum wage to workers under 18.

Add at end:

Conference calls for a renewed campaign for a living wage for all workers over 16, without exception, and without age discrimination. We resolve:

1) to conduct a campaign throughout workplaces to win support for UNISON's Living Wage policies, producing materials, calling meetings and including these demands in all wage claims;
2) that existing UNISON policy, for the minimum wage to be set at half male median earnings be re-stated, and updated for the purposes of this campaign;
3) that the Affiliated Political Fund (Labour Link) be requested to promote this policy within the Labour party;
4) that the terms of this motion be considered for submission to the TUC Annual Conference with a call for a co-ordinated day(s) of regional demonstrations and publicity events early in 2005 with the theme of end wage discrimination - a living wage for all workers over 16.

***
Amendment to motion 065

Replace point 2 with:

2] call upon UNISON Labour-Link and its representatives within the Labour party to support a replacement Labour party leader who pledges and has a record of support for UNISON policies on the welfare state, foundation hospitals, PFI and anti trade union laws.

***
Amendment to motion 066

Add at end:
Conference further calls upon UNISON Labour-Link and its representatives within the Labour party to support a replacement Labour party leader who pledges and has a record of support for UNISON policies on the welfare state, foundation hospitals, PFI and anti trade union laws.

***
Amendment to motion 067

Delete point 3 and add:
3] call for the resignation of Tony Blair
4] call upon UNISON Labour-Link and its representatives within the Labour party to support a replacement Labour party leader who pledges and has a record of support for UNISON policies on the welfare state, foundation hospitals, PFI and anti trade union laws.

***
Amendment to Motion 130: Iraq
Delete the reference to the MAB in the first paragraph.

Add:

Conferences notes that the Blair administration took this country into war in Iraq on the basis of clear misinformation and that an independent trade union movement is now developing in Iraq, but faces harassment both from the US and UK occupation authorities and from right-wing Iraqi forces. Conference further believes that the labour movement in Britain should support that new independent trade union movement. Conference calls on the National Executive Council to initiate, in collaboration with other interested trade unions, a trade union solidarity committee which will liaise with trade unions in Iraq, facilitate direct links between trade union organisations in Iraq and in Britain, facilitate visits by trade union delegations from Britain to Iraq and from Iraq to Britain, and act as a clearing house for requests from Iraqi trade unions for material assistance.

***
Amendment to Motion 144: Ethical Sourcing

Add: Conference resolves :
a) to campaign with other trade unions, and relevant organisations, for the adoption by all public sector employers of 'ethical purchasing' policies, such that all workers employed in providing goods or services for the public sector should have, as a minimum, the rights as laid down by the International Labour Organisation core standards.
b) to affiliate to Labour Behind the Label and No Sweat.

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