You have just become eligible to be a retired member of UNISON.

Even though you have retired, UNISON still values and needs you. 
And there are lots of exclusive benefits for you to enjoy as a retired member, as well as all the usual bonuses that come from belonging to a trade union.

These include:

•    Campaigning and social contact for pensioners
•    Use of the Croyde Bay UNISON holiday centre in Devon
•    Discounts on holidays
•    Favourable rates for home and holiday insurance
•    Support and advice from UNISON Welfare at times of financial or personal difficulty

Unison Rule C 2.6.1 covers the requirement for Retired Membership

"C.2.6.1

A member may apply at any time for retired membership if she/he has had at least two years continuous membership immediately prior to their retirement from employment within those areas of work set out in Rule C.1 and who are in receipt of a pension and who are not in other paid employment".

At present a one off fee of £15.00 secures lifetime Retired Membership

Contact your Steward or your Branch Officer prior to your retirement from work and ask for a Retired Members pack.

Retired Membership allows you to continue to make use of the services and benefits you enjoyed whilst being a working member e.g. Unison Travel Club,

Frizzells, Brittania Rescue, UIA Insurance, Legal Advice and assistance etc.

For those of you who were activists in the workplace and wish to continue then membership provides you with a platform to air your views. Many branches also have an active social section within the retired members, perhaps you could become involved in organising and running the Retired Members section within your branch (many branches sadly do not have an active retired members section) speak to your Branch Secretary about this.

The North West Region has an active Regional Retired Members Committee elected annually and meeting every three months from nominees put forward by their Branches.

Serving on this Committee leads to many opportunities for campaigning for the rights of pensioners both via UNISON and jointly with other bodies such as the National Pensioners Convention (NPC)

The  National Pensioners Convention Site http://www.natpencon.org.uk

The Retired Members have their own Annual Retired Members Conference which allows you our members to voice their concerns and decide which of these will be passed on to the UNISON National Conference for further consideration and action.

Not necessarily – you can remain attached to your workplace branch or alternatively seek out a retired members branch in the area to which you are moving – speak to your present Branch Officer or the retired members Officer they will be able to advise you.