- Conference
- 2026 National Community Conference and Seminar
- Date
- 5 November 2025
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes the UK Supreme Court judgment handed down in April 2025, which stated that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 referred only to “a biological woman” and to “biological sex”. Also, the subsequent consultation undertaken by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) on proposed changes to its Code of Practice, which is intended to provide formal guidance to service providers, public bodies and associations in relation to their duties under the Equality Act 2010 and how to put them into practice.
Conference further notes the results of the May 2025 Local Government elections in England which resulted in the Reform party gaining control of 10 councils and 41% of council seats overall.
Both events have had a direct impact on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender plus (LGBT+) Community members, our employers and our communities.
In response to the Supreme Court judgment, fourteen national LGBT+ charities wrote to the Prime Minister (signed by the leaders of Stonewall, Scottish Trans, the LGBT Consortium, TransActual and others) highlighting that the judgment has created a climate of fear for trans charities and the trans community, with some charities additionally reporting increased hostility and even potential threats to their operations. Many of our LGBT+ members working in LGBT+ charities and the community sector in general are concerned about the impact certain interpretations of the ruling is having to their terms and conditions and in respect of bullying, harassment and discrimination.
There are further concerns voiced by our members working in local government areas controlled by Reform who are responsible for commissioning services from the community sector. Some of our community members are members of local government branches. It has been widely reported that Reform have made statements implying they would be looking at the funding of initiatives and posts which addressed the issues of diversity, equal and inclusion.
Conference believes that these issues have created a public discourse which emboldens those who seek to roll back the hard won gains we have made in relation to the recognition and treatment of LGBT+ Community members. It also poses significant challenges for our members and community organisations in all our nations within the United Kingdom who support and employ LGBT+ people, particularly those who work with trans, non-binary and gender diverse communities.
Reform-led administrations have made it clear they are no friends to trade unions or to the diversity of membership we represent. Newly elected Reform administrations have threatened a withdrawal or a ‘review’ of funding streams, which puts many charities and voluntary organisations on notice that the services they deliver are in jeopardy.
Conference believes that this threat to UNISON Community members cannot go unchallenged and welcomes the work that UNISON and the Community Service Group have undertaken to highlight the threats that Reform and its local administrations pose to community cohesion, in England in particular.
Conference further believes that UNISON and members in the Community Service Group are best placed to play a pivotal role in making sure UNISON challenges the threat that Reform and like-minded parties play in undermining the equalities reforms we have gained and to fight against any restrictions to funding our employing organisations, who provide crucial services to our LGBT+ communities.
Conference, therefore, calls on the Community Service Group Executive to:
1)Work with the National Executive Council (NEC), UNISON Labour Link and other stakeholders with political power and influence in England, Cymru, Scotland and Northern Ireland to counter the call for a reduction or curtailing of funding for Diversity, Equality and Inclusion services where this has a direct impact on Community employers and our membership.
2)Work with the National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender plus (LGBT+) Committee to promote initiatives which actively counter transphobia in Community workplaces.
3)Work with the National LGBT+ Committee to roll out and promote UNISON trans ally training to branches with Community members.
4)Work with the National LGBT+ Committee to highlight and campaign for good practice around positive governance arrangements, employment standards and the implementation of national policy and bargaining guides relating to LGBT+ issues in Community.
5)Promote and highlight the work of LGBT+ charities and not-for-profit organisations that seek to improve LGBT+ inclusion, especially trans, non-binary and gender diverse communities, in employment and in governance roles across our sectors in all appropriate communications.