Organising for Our Future

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Conference
2002 National Lesbian & Gay Conference
Date
31 July 2002
Decision
Carried as Amended

Conference instructs the National Lesbian and Gay Committee (NLGC) to carry out the actions set out in the recommendations of the report ‘Organising for Our Future’ as follows:

1.to introduce a written constitution for the NLGC, from existing and agreed policies and procedures;

2.to increase the flow of information to activists by introducing more regular updates to branch and regional lesbian and gay group co-convenors and exploring the use of new media – alongside existing forms – such as:

3.

ii)greater use of the website to flag up key issues, campaigns and events in an accessible way;

iii)e-mail news briefings that members can sign up for via the website, like those offered by the TUC and other groups;

3.to seek to improve attendance at conference by:

i)Publicising conference more widely and in different ways;

ii)Focusing publicity more on the issues that will be discussed than the timetable of deadlines;

iiiIntroducing delegates’ briefing sessions and seminars into programme of lesbian and gay conference, retaining the debate of prioritised motions as conference’s main business;

4.to re-examine how we organise meetings, encourage new activists, and run effective campaigns, learning the lessons of the move to an ‘organising’ culture throughout the trade union movement and local community capacity building;

5.to increase support to branch and regional lesbian and gay groups by:

i)welcoming and encouraging the continuation of regional groups working together, particularly in the organisation of events such as training courses

ii)encouraging joint working between the four self-organised groups and participation in regional lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender TUC forums;

iii)showcasing best practice and promoting information sharing;

iv)expanding and relaunching the ‘Hints and Tips’ leaflet on setting up a branch lesbian and gay group;

v)producing an organising toolbox for regional groups, pulling together all advice, resources and information, available in various formats, including paper and CD, to include eg model regional handbook and newsletters, graphics, information on responsibilities of regional convenors, who’s who in UNISON, useful publications, outline of key policy areas, how to prepare for conference etc;

6.to maximise opportunities presented by forthcoming sexual orientation discrimination legislation by:

i)launching a recruitment drive aimed at lesbian and gay workers;

ii)encouraging lesbian and gay members to become active in all parts of UNISON, including as stewards and tutors;

iii)producing and promoting information and training materials aimed

a)at lesbian and gay members and

b)at all representatives and negotiators on issues of sexual orientation discrimination.

c)

7.To share the learning from those parts of the UK where consultation between government, public bodies and the lesbian and gay community is already in place, to step up the campaign for an equality duty on public bodies throughout the UK, and prepare to respond effectively once this is achieved.