- Conference
- 2025 National Higher Education Conference
- Date
- 10 October 2024
- Decision
- Carried
Conference commends the work achieved in 2024, which was UNISON’s the year of LGBT+ workers. The year has been celebrated up and down the country and by branches in every service group in many ways. This year was used to celebrate the LGBT+ Self Organised Group’s (SOG) considerable achievements and to highlight the continued discrimination faced by LGBT+ communities within general society
Following the years of young members, disabled members and the year of Black Workers in 2023; it was time for our LGBT+ members to shine. And we have seen how celebrating the contributions and achievements of young members, disabled, Black, and LGBT+ workers is essential to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment. The LGBT+ SOG were delighted to work with all parts of the union, including the Higher Education Service Group to highlight the diversity of our community and the intersectionality that exists within UNISON and society.
The year of LGBT+ workers has seen a lot of change in our union and the rule changes agreed at National Delegates Conference in June will finally see our rule book properly reflect those in UNISON’s LGBT+ community that have felt excluded until now. Those members now have the confidence to get more involved in their branches and the organising and campaigning work that their branches do within their workplace.
The National LGBT+ Committee intend to track how effective the Year of LGBT+ Workers has been by looking at basics in branches such as the election of LGBT+ officers and delegates coming to its conference. We know there have been increases. We also know the bigger job will be to maintain those levels year on year.
Conference is delighted that over 5000 people, many of whom are members of Higher Education branches, who have completed the trans ally training since its inception in July 2022. Our appreciation goes to members of our trans, non-binary and gender diverse network for their work in ensuring this training continues to be delivered in all regions and service groups.
The membership of UNISON’s trans, non-binary and gender diverse network has grown beyond all expectations and our hope is that this continues year after year. The growth of this network has resulted in more members becoming activists. These activists are now working with their branches to make their workplaces more LGBT+ friendly.
Following on from the success of the trans ally training, the national LGBT+ committee, working with bi+ network, have set up an asexual (ace) and aromantic (aro) network, and are rolling out training on ace/aro identities. These identities are often overlooked in workplaces, leading to them being excluded when branches negotiate new or update LGBT+ policies in their workplace.
Conference calls on the Higher Education Service Group Executive to:
1. Continue to promote UNISON’s trans ally training and encourage all Higher Education branches to complete this training by the end of 2025.
2. Work with the national LGBT+ committee to promote the new ace/aro network and the ace/aro training to Higher Education branches.
3. Encourage Higher Education branches to increase the number of delegates they send to the National LGBT+ conference, Black members conference, disabled members conference, women’s conference, young members conference and retired members conference.