Working to Support Lesbian and Gay Issues in Further and Higher Education

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Conference
2003 National Lesbian & Gay Conference
Date
1 August 2003
Decision
Carried as Amended

This Conference welcomes the initiative and objectives of the recent publication “ACTION”, a joint AUT (Association of University Teachers)/NATFHE (National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education)/ATL (Association of Teachers and Lecturers) policy statement on equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) staff and students in Colleges and Universities.

The document is detailed and states the teaching unions’ commitment to LGBT staff and students working in Further and Higher Education.

However, Conference expresses it’s surprise that UNISON, with 25,000 FE (Further Education) members, and 50,000 HE (Higher Education) members, were not invited to make a contribution to such a prestigious and useful document.

Conference notes with concern that this is yet another example of trade unions failing to collaborate in ensuring that all staff that work in such institutions are briefed and informed on issues such as those relating to LGBT equality.

In view of this fact, Conference instructs the NLGC (National Lesbian and Gay Committee) to:

1. contact the teaching unions involved in this publication, and express Conference’s desire to be involved in this project;

2. bring this document to the attention of the Local Government and HE Service Groups and the FE National Committee, and encourage them to support this campaign;

3. produce supporting literature to demonstrate UNISON’s commitment as a leading Education union, to this campaign;

4. where possible, seek to be an active partner in the campaign, and to contribute to any further publications issued by the joint unions.