- Conference
- 2009 Police Staff Service Group Conference
- Date
- 22 June 2009
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
Conference believes that equality is fundamental and that women, black, disabled, Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and young members may face particular barriers in the workplace and in getting involved in the union. Indeed many members may face multiple barriers.
Conference notes that the police service has had problems in achieving Government recruitment targets and that in some forces staff who may identify with self organised groups are severely under represented.
UNISON agrees with the Government view that Police Forces should reflect the communities they serve and that policing should be more community focused. Conference believes that functioning self- organised groups in police staff branches will greatly assist in achieving this aspiration.
Conference is aware of the rise in the number of various support groups within the police service and notes that in some cases UNISON has achieved good working relationships. However, conference believes that UNISON is best placed to represent the views of our members and that the principle of self- organisation is one that should be upheld throughout our union.
Conference therefore instructs the Service Group Executive to:
1. Remind branches of their responsibility to support and encourage self-organisation and mainstream equality;
2. Publicise the importance of the code of good branch practice, guidelines on self-organisation, branch representation guide;
3, Encourage and support members of self-organised groups and young members to become active within their branch structures.
4. Produce service group specific materials aimed at members to explain and promote self -organisation in UNISON, the work that we do in promoting equalities, including recruitment information for non-members.