UNISON Rule Book 2002

Contents

 | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | Schedules | Appendices |

back to main index                           Full Version (195kb)

1. At Work and in the Community

2. Union Democracy

3. Service to Members

4. General  

1.  AT WORK AND IN THE COMMUNITY

1.  To organise all those employed, directly or indirectly, within those areas of employment which provide services to the public whether in the public, private or voluntary sectors of the economy.

2.  To seek to ensure equality of treatment and fair representation for all members and to work for the elimination of discrimination on grounds of race, gender, sexuality, disability, age or creed.

3.  To seek to protect the rights of all members to be treated with dignity and respect irrespective of race, gender, sexuality, disability, age or creed. 

4.  To improve the pay and conditions of members and promote their interests.

5.  To establish good relations between members and their employers, to secure the settlement of disputes arising from members’ employment, and to participate in joint negotiating machinery.

6.  To work to achieve equal access to public services for all and to ensure that all users of public services are treated with dignity and respect, irrespective of race, gender, sexuality, disability, age or creed.

7.  To promote greater employee, consumer and user involvement and representation in the delivery of public services, irrespective of race, gender, sexuality, disability, age or creed.

8.  To work with all other interested parties, individuals and organisations to maintain and improve the quality of services to the public. 

9.  To liaise with all levels of government on public services and related matters and to promote and monitor legislation for the benefit of members and the public.

2.  UNION DEMOCRACY

1.  To promote, safeguard and improve the interests and status of members and the Union as a whole.

2.  To promote and establish a member-led union and to carry out and fulfill decisions made by members in a spirit of unity and accountability.

3.  To promote fair representation in all the Union’s structures for women, members of all grades, black members, disabled members and lesbians and gay men.

4.  To encourage solidarity and an effective working partnership between members, activists, representatives, officers and all staff in the service of the Union and its agreed policies.

5.  To promote and safeguard the rights of members to have an adequate opportunity to participate in the initiation and development of policy making, through meetings, conferences, delegations or ballots, and to encourage the maximum democratic debate, together with the right to campaign to change policy, while at all times acting within the rules and agreed policy.

6.  To foster good industrial relations with the Union’s employees through their trade unions, to encourage and maintain good employment practices and to promote equal opportunities for all employees irrespective of race, gender, sexuality, disability, age or creed.

3.  SERVICE TO MEMBERS

1.  To provide minimum guaranteed standards of advice, representation and service.

2.  To provide information and publications about the Union and its work on a regular basis and in language and design that can easily be understood, including languages other than English where appropriate

3.  To make provision for certain benefits to members as provided in these Rules.

4.  To provide and maintain educational facilities and to encourage members to participate in them.

5.  To promote, maintain and contribute to schemes and/or funds for the financial, physical and social welfare of members and their dependants.

4.  GENERAL

1.  To maintain a political fund and the relationships which reflect the traditions of COHSE, NALGO and NUPE.

2.  To assist and support other unions, organisations, charities or individuals as deemed appropriate locally, nationally and internationally.

3.  To participate in international trade union activities and to foster appropriate international links

4.  To arrange amalgamations or transfers of engagements with other trade,unions.

5.  To perform such other duties and engage in such other business as a trade union may lawfully undertake.

6.  To seek to ensure that members, activists, representatives and staff are treated with dignity and respect at all times when participating in the Union's democratic structures. Also that members, activists, representatives and staff seeking the Union's services provided by external suppliers are treated similarly by the providers of those services.