The Importance of Women Health and Safety Representatives

Back to all Motions

Conference
2023 National Energy Service Group Conference
Date
21 February 2023
Decision
Carried

UNISON has approximately 5,000 Health and Safety representatives across the union working hard to defend members’ health and safety at work.

Over the past few years health and safety has emerged again as critical for protecting members’ rights at work, especially in the Energy sector. However, the gender balance of Health and Safety representatives in UNISON does not reflect the gender balance of our union.

Women’s health and safety is never more important – whether it is advising on maternity rights, menopause, women’s safety equipment, or areas where there is a traditional bias towards female working – we need women representing women.

Conference therefore calls on the Energy Service Group Committee to:

1) Work with the National Health and Safety Forum and the National Women’s Committee to emphasise the key issues for women in the Energy sector workplaces;

2) Work with the National Health and Safety Forum, and any other relevant body, to encourage women working in the Energy sector to become health and safety representatives.