- Conference
- 2026 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 16 October 2025
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
Conference notes that we face a steady rise of right-wing political parties, ideologies and movements across the globe, which leads to significant detrimental impacts on Black, LGBT+, disabled people and women and the struggle for equality. The combination of ideological stances, policy priorities, and the broader social and economic effects of far-right governance all have negative outcomes.
The rise of Reform UK must not be underestimated and poses a real threat to women in the workplace and the trade union movement. In particular our Black, disabled and LGBT+ women face a significant threat to their safety, security and workplace rights.
Conference recognises the significant impact on women’s rights and societal norms propagated by right wing promotion of traditional gender roles and biological differences. Right-wing parties and movements have been selective in championing women’s rights in public discourse, often framing them as a means to exclude minoritised migrants and protect the perceived ‘civilised’ values of Western societies. This narrative has been used to justify policies that undermine women’s rights such as restricting abortion rights, and privatising healthcare.
In the UK, this misogynistic rhetoric has translated into a movement that sells itself as the true protector of women’s rights. It focusses on biological determination of sex which demonises anyone who does not conform to traditional Western concepts of what defines a woman.
Right-wing parties align with neoliberal economic policies, advocating for reduced state intervention, deregulation, and cuts to welfare. This then translates into underfunding of public sector systems. Chronic underinvestment in public services has already resulted in wage stagnation and cuts in staffing. Increased workloads mean existing staff are forced to handle heavier workloads, leading to stress, burnout, and reduced quality of service provision. As we know, women make up the majority of the workforce in public services so therefore will bear the brunt of these unnecessary burdens.
Right-wing ideologies favour private sector involvement, believing it leads to greater efficiency. Privatisation leads to profit over staff welfare, resulting in lower wages, reduced benefits, and less secure employment contracts compared to the public sector. Women are already impacted disproportionately by these issues and face a reduction in protections related to the right to choose, women’s health and an increase in the normalisation of misogynistic views.
Despite Reform UK claiming to represent the working class, their policies, if implemented, will deregulate labour markets and weaken trade unions. This directly impacts on the ability to collectively bargain for better wages, working conditions, job security, and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policies, leaving members more vulnerable to exploitation and detrimental working conditions.
Our Black women workers face increased racism, discrimination, and even violence from service users or the public, particularly in environments where anti-immigrant rhetoric is normalised. Disabled and LGBT+ women workers face increased hostility and discrimination due to the role back of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives and staff networks.
Disabled women are facing increased discrimination and prejudice at work where a hostile environment and anti-equality narrative is resulting in more reasonable adjustments being refused. This is particularly the case in Reform controlled councils where workers, including disabled workers, are being forced to return to the office as those working from home are labelled as lazy or workshy, when in many cases disabled people are more productive when allowed to work from home
We need to take a stand for all women.
We therefore call upon the National Women’s Committee to:
1)Work with UNISON’s self-organised groups, National Young Members’ Forum and Retired Members Organisation to raise awareness of the risks to women posed by right wing ideologies.
2. Work with UNISON’s education and communications structures as appropriate to create clear campaign messages and briefings about how right-wing ideologies impact women members and how these can be challenged.
3. Work with the NEC and UNISON’s self-organised groups to develop guidance for branches and regions on tactics for negotiating with less enlightened employers to secure flexible working, including home working, for all women members including disabled women
