- Conference
- 2026 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 8 October 2025
- Decision
- Carried
This conference notes
1 in 4 women experience domestic abuse at some point in their lifetime
75% of those experiencing domestic abuse experience abuse whilst at work.
A 2009 Home office report identified that 20% of domestic abuse victims had to take a month or more off work.
Further research suggests that 56 % of women experiencing domestic abuse were late for work at least five times per month
The government estimated the cost both economic and social of domestic abuse to be in the region of £78 billion (2022/3) over a three-year period of abuse.
Further this conferences notes:
That a woman fleeing domestic abuse will have to make arrangements in secret with seven or eight different agencies including her workplace.
A 2020 TUC survey found that only 5% of employers had domestic violence policies.
This conference calls upon the National Women’s Committee to work with service groups, Labour Link and other relevant bodies to
1)Promote widely UNISON’s model workplace agreement on domestic violence.
2)To produce negotiating guidance for branches to allow them to get employers to see why domestic abuse is a workplace issue.
3)To campaign for domestic abuse, leave to become enshrined in law similar to the provision in Australia, Canada and Ireland.
