- Conference
- 2022 National LGBT+ Conference
- Date
- 23 September 2022
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
Conference is concerned at the low level of Black LGBT+ activism within UNISON structures at branch, regional and national level. Recruitment and training can play a crucial role in increasing Black LGBT+ participation. Black LGBT+ members have vital contributions to make to ensuring that UNISON remains truly diverse and inclusive in all aspects of trade unionism.
The more stewards who are Black LGBT+ will encourage more Black LGBT+ members to become stewards. It will allow us to better identify issues for Black LGBT+ members and how we can organise around them.
However, not all members need to become stewards to be active. There are many roles that are open to Black LGBT+ members where they can make a valuable contribution. We all have skills that can be utilised strategically to grow our union.
Black LGBT+ members need to be encouraged to participate in local self-organised groups (SOG) meetings at branch, regional and national levels. Information about when meetings are taking place and how to register need to be advertised as widely as possible to raise awareness that these meetings exist.
Conference therefore calls on the national LGBT+ committee to work with the other SOGs and national young members’ forum (NYMF) to:
1. Devise strategies to encourage Black LGBT+ participation at all levels of the union;
2. Encourage Black LGBT+ issues as an agenda item in SOG and NYMF meetings;
3. Hold joint SOG and young members’ events whenever possible to discuss and raise awareness of Black LGBT+ issues and the need to increase Black LGBT+ participation in all the SOG’s and young members’ forum;
4. Encourage branches to advertise Black LGBT+ events and meetings on branch websites and in branch, regional and national newsletters;
5. Encourage Black LGBT+ members to become lay tutors;
6. Use recruitment events to encourage Black LGBT+ participation by using images that reflect UNISON’s diversity;
7. Invite Black LGBT+ speakers or hold workshops where appropriate on Black LGBT+ issues, at branch, regional and national level at SOG meetings;
8. Consider promoting Black LGBT+ activism on social media platforms.