Do you know that you can stay in UNISON as a Retired member for a one-off payment of £15 for Life membership?
Why Retired Membership? Reasons and Benefits 
UNISON provided you with representation and support at work when you needed it, along with offering a wide range of other services. UNISON believes that you deserve to continue benefiting from membership when you retire and still be able to play an active role in the union. There are over ten million older people living in the UK and trade unions should reflect this.
HAVE A VOICE
As part of one of the biggest unions in the country you can contribute to UNISON’s influential voice on issues that affect you including pensions, the NHS and age discrimination. Ensure that your voice is heard for your sake and that of future generations.
TAKE PART IN UNION DEMOCRACY
You can participate in the democratic structures of the union. UNISON is one of the few Unions which has a Retired Members Organisation, whose structure mirrors that of working members. This means that you can play a role in UNISON’s democratic procedures at all levels.
Retired members can …..
- Attend branch meetings!
- Have representation on branch committees and the UNISON Regional Council
- Be represented at National Delegate Conference
The National Retired Member Committee meets regularly and can feed it’s views to the NEC and the rest of UNISON.
In addition, a Retired Members Conference is held annually, where retired members can debate the issues of importance to them and submit two motions for the agenda of National Delegate Conference. In this way you can influence union policy from Branch to National level.
You can maintain the link between the working and retired members, thus promoting solidarity between generations. Retired and working members have a shared interest in the provision of decent incomes in older age, care issues, a universal health service and the creation of a civilised society.
Today’s workers are tomorrow’s pensioners and UNISON’s members work in public services, on which older people are heavily reliant.
There are also links with other pensioner organisations at home and abroad through which you can campaign.
KEEPING IN TOUCH
Most participants in retired members sections enjoy the following:
- Regular monthly meetings either with guest speakers or visits to local attractions selected by members.
- Meet like-minded people monthly
- Making new friends
- Annual Outing
- Festive Season social
- Local and national newsletters
- Staying connected with former work colleagues through the branch
- Involvement in UNISON activities (large numbers of retired members joined working colleagues on recent anti-austerity demonstrations and Public Sector Pension Campaigns).
HOW RETIRED MEMBERS CAN HELP WORKING MEMBERS
UNISON recognises that retired members are an important organising asset. They continue to shame members’ interests in protecting our public services and have a wealth of personal experience to contribute. Where branches are short of person power, retired members may have time, experience, and help to give.
Where branches identify a need for assistance from retired members, a protocol exists to facilitate this.
WHO CAN BECOME A RETIRED MEMBER (rule C2.6.1)
You can if you have been a UNISON member continuously for at least two years on the date you retire from employment (in an area of work which UNISON organises) and are receiving a pension and are not in other paid employment.
MEMBERSHIP SERVICES AND BENEFITS
UNISON retired members continue to enjoy the benefits available to working colleagues from UNISON, or private sector partners, including:
- Discounted access to UNISON Croyde Bay holiday resort
- Access to UNISON Welfare
- Competitive pricing for energy
- Discounts at Vision Express
- Discounts on cars
- Breakdown cover
- UNISON Rewards (offers and discounts from 2500 retailers)
- Competitive prices on savings, loans, and insurance
- Financial advice
- Free will Service (0800 80 12 99)
- Travel
Contact Branch Office on 0131 558 7488 Option2 or branchoffice@unison-edinburgh.org.uk or click on pdf 