E-Quality is a regular e-bulletin for branch officers with an equality role. The bulletin gives an overview of equality developments in UNISON, in parliament and in the wider world. If there are any issues that you would like covered please email equality@unison.co.uk or write to UNISON Means Equality, 1 Mabledon Place, London, WC1H 9AJ

Bullying & Harassment

Bullying and harassment in the workplace is spiralling out of control.
Stress and illness, mental and physical, is the usual result for those being bullied and this becomes part of their daily life. Many people are left to just suffer in silence.
A recent UNISON survey shows that many feel that they have no option but to take sick leave, while others are forced to leave their jobs.
Bullying should never be tolerated, and victims should be supported and encouraged to report any incidents.

If you are experiencing bullying at work:

• Keep a record – so you have a clear picture of what’s happening to you
• Tell your union rep – it can be one step towards stopping bullying in it’s tracks
• If you are not already in a union, join UNISON
  Join UNISON online or call 0845 355 0845

Respect: guidance for young workers on bullying and harassment at work
Guide to harassment at work - PDF

What UNISON is doing nationally
UNISON and the top leading young women’s monthly - Company magazine - are launching a Bully Busters campaign, as figures show more than a third of young women are suffering in silence.
Results revealed that 66 per cent of respondents bullied in the last six months say it is ongoing and that the most common bully is an older woman in a more senior professional position.
The Bully Busters campaign is calling for the government to revise the current Dignity in the Workplace bill to include an anti-bullying policy, which is enforced by employers.

Help stamp out bullying in your workplace

• Become a union rep – help others to speak out about bullying
• Read our guide to preventing bullying at work
• Encourage colleagues to join UNISON
• Put up a poster for National Ban Bullying at Work Day - 9 November
  Poster

If you have a Bullying & Harassment policy from your workplace you would like to share with us please send to bsg@unison.co.uk

UNISON Equality Scheme
The branch guide to the UNISON Equality Scheme is now available, stock number 2772 or online at http://www.unison.org.uk/equality This guide sets out how branches can make sure that equality is part of everything they do

Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and the BNP
UNISON welcomes the recent decision by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to take the BNP to court. The EHRC has won its legal case against the British National Party. The Commission has agreed to adjourn the case following the BNP’s confirmation that it will accept the Commission’s requirement that it change its constitution and membership criteria. The BNP has also agreed to not accept any new members until its new constitution comes into force.
In an order issued at the Central London County Court the BNP has agreed to use all reasonable endeavours to revise its constitution so that it does not discriminate, either directly or indirectly on any 'protected characteristic' - for example on the grounds of race, ethnic or religious status - as defined in clause 4 of the Equality Bill. These changes must be carried out as soon as reasonably practicable, and no later than three months.
The order also states that from 15 October 2009, until the new constitution comes into effect, BNP Chairman Nick Griffin will close the membership of the Party to all new membership applications and prevent the Party from accepting into membership any new member.

National Minimum Wage increases
1 October saw the National Minimum Wage rates increases come into force.

• Those aged 22 see an increase from £5.73 to £5.80 an hour.
• The rate for 18 to 21-year-olds went up from £4.77 to £4.83.
• For 16 and 17-year-olds it went up to £3.57 an hour from £3.53.

World AIDS Day – 1 December
HIV:Reality
Respect and protect
By respecting and protecting ourselves and others, we can stop the spread of HIV and end HIV prejudice.
The National AIDS Trust has produced a wide range of resources to increase awareness and understanding about HIV, provide up to date facts and guidance, and challenge HIV-related stigma and discrimination, for World AIDS Day and beyond. Go to http://shop.nat.org.uk to find out more.

Online survey of LGBT members workplace experiences:
UNISON wants to hear about its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members experiences of life in the workplace. This will support our work for LGBT workplace equality over the next year. Fill in the short online survey which will be available from 19 November at www.unison.org.uk/out.

Black Mental Health UK Campaign
Human rights campaigns group, Black Mental Health UK (BMH UK) together with Black Newspaper, The Voice are campaigning to raise awareness about planned changes to mental health law which they fear are likely to have a devastating impact on African Caribbean communities living in the UK. For more, visit: http://www.blackmentalhealth.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=671&Itemid=117

Mental Health
Public fear of the mentally ill 'misplaced', says a new study.  People have only a one in 14 million risk of being killed by a stranger with schizophrenia, researchers found.
Homicides by people with the mental condition who are unknown to their victims are "exceptionally rare and unpredictable", said scientists.
They said the findings showed public fears about being killed by a mentally ill stranger were "completely misplaced".
The study brought together data from Australia, Canada, Finland and the Netherlands.
http://www.mhf.org.uk/information/news/?entryid17=75729

Corporate Sexism: The sex industry's infiltration of the modern workplace

Fawcett's report 'Corporate Sexism: the sex industry's infiltration of the modern workplace' finds that the use of lap dancing clubs and display of pornography in a work context is a major new threat to women's equality at work.
The report’s findings include:

• 41% of UK lap dancing clubs directly target employers through marketing on their websites (4)
• 86% of lap dancing clubs in London provide ‘discrete receipts’ which enable employees to claim back expenses from their employer without it being evident the money was spent in a lap dancing club (5)
• Lads’ mags are displayed for sale purposes in over 50,000 workplaces. A content analysis of leading titles revealed all contained pornographic imagery. Yet there are no independent, compulsory guidelines regarding the display and sale of pornography, and no major retailer has a policy of covering up lads’ mags or putting them on the top shelf
• 26% of trade unions have received enquiries from members who have been exposed to the sex industry – including pornography - at work (6). Existing research has also revealed that 20% of men admit accessing pornography at work.

Conferences and Events

Women’s Conference 18th – 20th February 2010, Gateshead
There is still time to register for this conference. Forms for registration have been issued to branches and are available on the UNISON website. All branches are entitled to send at least one woman member, and the scheme of representation has now changed to allow the biggest branches - those with over 8000 women members - additional representation.

Further information on all forthcoming events is available on the UNISON Website:
www.unison.org.uk/equality

Recruitment - Why is recruiting so important?
It’s all our responsibility to recruit. Organised workplaces with a high density of membership give UNISON greater influence with local management and employers.
Remember that it is particularly important to recruit young members if UNISON is to grow and be strong in the future.
'Nobody asked me!' That's the single biggest reason people give for not having joined a trade union.
And the best people to recruit new members are the UNISON members who work alongside them.
You can now get your friends and colleagues to join on online, go to the following link:
www.unison.org.uk/join

For more information on equality in UNISON, including contact points in your region, visit:
http://www.unison.org.uk/equality/index.asp