There are women’s self-organised structures at national, regional and local level in UNISON.
In these groups, women meet to discuss their particular concerns and develop proposals for promoting equality to feed into the wider structures.
Women in these groups also provide valuable support and encouragement to each other.
Branch organisation
At local level, many branches have women’s self-organised groups.
These provide a forum for women to meet and discuss issues of concern, and to provide advice to branches on promoting women’s equality at work and in the union. Ask your branch secretary for information.
Many branches also have branch women’s officers, equality co-ordinators (officers) or workplace equality representatives who can advise on women’s issues.
For information and advice about setting up a branch women’s group, contact your regional women’s officer.
Regional organisation
Each region also has a women’s group, which meets on a regular basis to develop policies to promote equality and encourage women’s participation at regional and branch level.
Many of these groups will organise training and other events open to all women in the region, including training for delegates attending national women’s conference. Many produce regular newsletters for women.
Contact your regional women’s officer.
National organisation
At national level, the national women’s committee has representatives from each region, plus representatives from the LGBT, disabled, young and black members groups and from the national executive council.
There is also an annual national women’s conference which sets the agenda for the women’s committee.