- Conference
- 2004 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 15 October 2003
- Decision
- Carried
Conference welcomes the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003, which came into force at the end of last year. Lesbians face widespread discrimination and prejudice in the workplace. Until the regulations came into force, they had no legal protection from such discrimination.
Conference recognises, however, that laws only make a difference if they are used. Conference believes:
1)that although this legislation can be used to win compensation for lesbians who have experienced discrimination, its first use must be as a tool for collective negotiations on equality, to prevent discrimination from taking place;
2)we can only be effective if we are organised, and our organisation reflects our membership;
3)every issue has an equalities dimension.
Conference urges the National Women’s Committee and regional women’s groups to:
a)publicise the new rights throughout women’s self-organisation;
b)equality proof every item on their work programmes to check the impact of issues and proposals on/for lesbians;
c)encourage lesbians to become active and organised in all parts of the union, including women’s self-organisation.