- Conference
- 2026 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 17 October 2025
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes that most women and people who menstruate will find that this affects their work at some point. For some people, this can be occasional pain and discomfort, for others, this can be more debilitating or chronic, including conditions such as endometriosis, fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
Conference also notes that many trans men and non-binary/gender fluid people will also be affected by reproductive and menstrual health issues. There is also extensive research showing that Black women are more likely to experience severe or very severe symptoms of endometriosis, and may experience more difficulty getting medical care for these and similar problems.
Menstrual health problems may qualify as a disability under the Equality Act 2010, or be an additional factor affecting disabled people. It is important that workplace disability, reasonable adjustments and sickness policies reflect the ways that menstruation can impact on working lives, and take a supportive, not punitive, approach to employees experiencing menstrual symptoms.
‘Period poverty’ continues to rise in many parts of the UK, particularly affecting young women. More than a quarter of 18-24-year-olds surveyed by ActionAid said they sometimes could not afford period products. Conference welcomes the steps taken by the Scottish government to address period poverty: since 2022 there has been a legal duty on Scottish local authorities to provide free items such as tampons and sanitary pads to “anyone who needs them”. Of those who accessed the free products, 84% said the scheme had a positive impact on them.
Conference notes that menstrual leave was introduced in Spain for workers with a diagnosed menstrual condition. Workers can apply for menstrual leave with the support of a doctor’s note. Uptake has been low but it remains an important resource for those who experience debilitating menstrual symptoms to take leave in addition to sickness or other forms of leave. While this form of leave has been introduced through legislation, this could also be negotiated for at branch level, and branches should be given the support and information needed to bargain for these policies.
Conference believes that menstrual and reproductive health is a trade union issue, and that access to safe, affordable period products is a right for all women and people who menstruate. Conference also believes that menstrual leave should be a separate entitlement to other forms of leave.
UNISON’s National Women’s Committee is ideally placed to raise the importance of these issue in the workplace.
Conference asks the National Women’s Committee to:
1)Publicise and promote UNISON’s existing resources relating to menstrual and reproductive health in the workplace;
2)Building on the results of the 2025 survey of women members, develop a national campaign, including bargaining guides and other resources, on negotiating menstrual leave policies in the workplace; explore which UNISON branches have successfully done this, and use their experiences to create a guide to best practice.
3)Work with UNISON’s National LGBT+ Committee, National Disabled Members Committee and National Black Members Committee so that such a campaign is inclusive and takes an intersectional approach towards all UNISON members who experience menstrual and reproductive health issues.
4)Consider producing guidance on negotiating to make period products available in workplace bathrooms, and share best practice examples of branches who have successfully negotiated this.
5)Work with Labour Link to call for a change in the law regarding menstrual leave.
6)Work with UNISON College to develop training for reps on how to negotiate for menstrual leave / period products to be made available in bathrooms.
