Communicating with LGBT members

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Conference
2010 Police and Justice Service Group Conference
Date
23 June 2010
Decision
Carried

Police and ustice Conference affirms the importance of excellent communication in our union organising, noting that those who are most isolated often need our communications the most.

Conference notes that UNISON does not monitor or record which of its members are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) members. This means that the only way to communicate with LGBT members is to send information to all members.

As most communication with members comes from branches and regions, they have a large part to play in assisting with improving this communication.

This would enable LGBT members to be more involved in UNISON, encouraging them to participate in regional self organised groups, and gain the confidence to take on roles within our police and justice service group, locally, regionally and nationally. Conference welcomes the fact that a number of our national police and justice activists started their union activism within the LGBT self-organised group.

Conference therefore instructs the police and justice service group executive to liaise with branches and regions to improve their communication with LGBT members by:

1)Advertising regional and national LGBT self organised group news, advice, meetings and events;

2)Publicising Out In UNISON newsletters;

3)Encouraging police and justice branches to set up and resource LGBT self organised groups;

4)Encouraging participation in national LGBT conference, which takes place in November each year and includes a meeting of police and justice LGBT members.