- Conference
- 2024 National LGBT+ Conference
- Date
- 18 July 2024
- Decision
- Carried
Conference welcomes the success of the year of LGBT+ workers, which was celebrated up and down the country in many different ways. Our year has been used to celebrate all of our not inconsiderable achievements and to highlight the continued discrimination faced by our communities within general society.
Following the previous years of young members, disabled members and Black worker, it was time to reflect on the diverse intersections of our LGBT+ members. We have been delighted to work with all sections of our union to highlight respect and celebrate that diversity as an indication of the varying intersectionality that exists within UNISON and society. We work closely with Black and disabled LGBT+ members, who continue to show us how deeply our shared histories and struggles are intertwined.
The year of LGBT+ workers has seen a lot of change in the union and the changes to the rule book agreed at national delegate conference (NDC) in June will finally see our rule book properly reflect those in our community who have felt excluded until now. These changes could not have been made without the work of our activists in branches and regions who explained the reasons why changes were needed, helping with the continuing education within the union and beyond. We were blown away by the number of young members especially who identified within our LGBT+ group, who attended our caucus groups, our fringes and spoke at NDC on our motion and the rule changes.
The national LGBT+ committee is tracking how effective the Year of LGBT+ Workers has been by looking at basics in branches such as the election of LGBT+ officers and delegates attending our conference. While there have been some increases, representation needs to be maintained year on year.
We are delighted that there have been over 5000 people who have completed the trans ally training since its inception in July 2022, with members of our trans, non-binary and gender diverse caucus making this training happen in all regions and service groups. We are further delighted that membership of our trans, non-binary and gender diverse network has grown beyond all expectations and hope this continues year after year.
Conference calls on the national LGBT+ committee to:
i) Continue to promote the trans ally training and strive to reach 15000 allies trained by the end of 2025.
ii) Continue to promote and encourage our young LGBT+ members mentoring scheme particularly to signpost people to positions within the union to match their skillset.
iii) Promote the great work already started in reaching out to our asexual and aromantic members and continue to promote this new network to organise with us.
iv) Work with regions to increase the numbers of delegates to our LGBT+ conference, who more accurately reflect the shared intersectionalities of race, disability, gender identity and age; by working with UNISON’s self-organised groups, the young members forum and retired members organisation to promote participation from within those groups.