- Conference
- 2022 Virtual National Women's Conference
- Date
- 15 October 2021
- Decision
- Carried
This Conference notes:
• The near total ban on abortion in Texas by restricting it to the first 6 weeks of gestation, a time when most people don’t even know that they are pregnant
• That this threatens the Roe vs Wade ruling of 1973 that made abortion legal in the US.
• The huge surge of anger and resistance to this attack with large demonstration in 50 US states on 2 October challenging the Texan ruling and demanding that women and people have the right to access abortion care.
• We are proud that UNISON supported a solidarity march called by Abortion Rights UK on 2 October to the American Embassy and a number of our London branches attended with their banners.
This Conference believes:
• Any attack on abortion rights anywhere in the world is an attack on us all.
• The Texas ruling gives confidence to anyone who wants to see women and people forced to the back streets.
• The right to abortion is under severe attack in other countries around the world such as Hungary and Poland.
• Abortion is a class issue. Rich women and people can always access abortion whatever the legal status. It is working class women and people who will suffer.
• We cannot be complacent in the UK – abortion is still a criminal offence on the statute book and that has to be removed.
• In Northern Ireland whilst abortion is now legal, the lack of access to health care means women and people still have to travel to access abortion.
• Abortion Rights UK plays a pivotal role in defending abortion rights and fighting for safe, free, legal abortions.
• Access to abortion is a trade union issue and with over a million women in our union we believe passionately in defending a women or persons right to choose.
This Conference resolves:
• To ask the National Women’s committee to work with the relevant structures in our union to keep members informed about the ongoing fight to defend abortion rights.