- Conference
- 2011 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 21 October 2010
- Decision
- Carried
Conference is disappointed to note the failure of the Equality Act 2010 to address some of the fundamental inequalities in our society, at a time when public services are under attack, budgets are being cut, services are being outsourced and pay frozen.
Conference further notes that the Equality and Human Rights Commission is facing an uncertain future as it is to be scaled down as part of the government review of “quangos”.
In particular the Act has :
1)no duty to consider tackling socio-economic disadvantage
2)no specific duty on procurement
3)no requirement to action plan and set out steps to achieve equality objectives
4)no effective measures to equalise the earnings difference between women and men
The Act and the single equality duty, which will replace the existing sex, race and disability discrimination duties, was intended to harmonise the equality legislation, but in doing so risks losing some of the crucial elements which made the duties a powerful tool to use in defending our public services and our members terms and conditions.
However, conference notes that the specific duty which applies to public sector bodies will remain in some form, and that it is essential that UNISON branches engage with employers to ensure that they adopt best practice in carrying out equality impact assessments of policies, procedures and proposals and in identifying meaningful equality objectives. Such measures can and should be used in opposing cuts and outsourcing of services.
Conference therefore calls upon the national women’s committee to work with the NEC, regional women’s committees and other relevant UNISON bodies to ensure that training and guidance on the new single equality duty is rolled out to branches as a matter of urgency.