LGBT Awareness Training – Supporting our LGBT Members

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Conference
2012 National LGBT Conference
Date
25 July 2012
Decision
Carried as Amended

Conference commends the work of the National lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Committee with regards to raising awareness across this union of issues affecting LGBT members. Conference welcomes the progress made in raising the profile of LGBT participation in our union.

UNISON has been at the forefront of the equality agenda and we can be proud of our achievements in continuing to support and encourage self-organisation at all levels. Conference also notes the previous toolkits and guidance around workplace LGBT issues for branch officers and workplace representatives

Conference is concerned, however, that there still remains a lack of awareness of LGBT issues within branches. There is regional and national support, with a variety of additional resources available to assist representatives within the branches and these are valued, but Conference believes that any branch representative should be able to deal with LGBT members issues. To assist, representatives require specific LGBT awareness training.

This training should include information on the new Equality Act as well as guidance about issues that LGBT members experience, such as coming out in the workplace.

Conference asks the National LGBT Committee to formulate a training package that can be rolled out regionally to all Branches to encourage representatives from every Branch in our union to participate in this training.