Open University closed to disabled students

The Open University’s (OU) is a flexible system of learning that supports the largest disabled student community in the UK. Last year almost 20,000 disabled students studied at the OU and a large number were UNISON’s Disabled Members. Conference is concerned the planned closure of Regional Centres announced on 15 September may mean the OU […]

For the union makes us strong!

Conference notes that 2015 marks the 30th anniversary of the historic first time trade unions led the pride march. Trade unionists were showing solidarity to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people who had campaigned and fund-raised for striking miners in 1984/85. Conference notes that the 1984/85 miners’ strike was a straight-up fight with a […]

My union, Your union, Our union: encouraging engagement

Conference notes that UNISON members are facing unprecedented attacks and challenges including to our pay, terms and conditions, benefits and living standards. Meanwhile we are expected to do more for less, covering unfilled and deleted posts, while services we rely on disappear and housing costs spiral. At a time when workers need their union more […]

Defending our human rights and equality protections

Conference condemns the Tory Government’s sustained attack on the rights of public service unions and workers – rights guaranteed under International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions. The undermining of the rights of trade unionists violates civil liberties and human rights including the freedom of association and assembly. Conference is therefore not surprised but is appalled that […]

Disabled LGBT Members Caucus Development

Conference believes that the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) self organised group is an exemplar of fair representation when it comes to structure and reserved seats for disabled LGBT members on national and regional LGBT committees, while recognising that still in 2015 disabled members face barriers to participation in all aspects of society. Conference, […]

Social Model of Disability

Conference notes that the social model of disability is crucial to ensuring that our disabled lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) members are able to participate within the union and the LGBT self organised group at branch level, regionally and nationally. Conference believes, however, that there can be a lack of understanding and awareness of […]

After the general election….

Conference notes that the Conservative Party’s success at the general and local elections on May 7th created further threats to public services, trade union rights and Black and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) members’ jobs and standard of living. Conference remembers that the previous Conservative led government pursued a range of savage policies resulting […]

Access to Work

Conference notes that Access To Work funding is a vital tool in enabling disabled people gain employment and stay in work. This fund allows employees to defray additional employment costs that arise as a result of their disability. These include, but are not limited to, services such as British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters, specialist adaptations […]

Black LGBT people and Domestic Violence

Conference notes the pilot by Broken Rainbow for a social response to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) domestic violence which has been shortlisted for a National Diversity Award in August 2015. We need to encourage the inclusion of Black LGBT experiences of domestic violence and the services they access, due to the nature of […]

Strengthening branch LGBT self-organisation

Conference notes that self-organisation is at the heart of our union. However, there can be challenges in bringing together members into self organised groups (SOGS) where the employer is dispersed over a wide geographical area, in smaller branches and employers, in multi-employer branches and in fragmented workplaces. Working together with other branches within our towns […]

Raising the bar on bargaining for LGBT equality

Conference believes collective bargaining has a central role in delivering equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) workers. The visibility of UNISON’s work on LGBT equality in turn benefits recruitment and organising. The Tory government is attacking our rights as workers and as trade unionists. We must strengthen our skills around the bargaining agenda […]

Post-general election: don’t mope – mobilise

Conference notes that despite the hard work of so many of our activists throughout the United Kingdom – many of whom went out on the ‘doorstep’ for Labour during the general election campaign – we were unable to get the change in government so many of us wanted and we are now stuck with the […]

Tory Housing Policy and its Impact on the LGBT Community

Conference believes that it is a human right for everyone to have a safe, secure and affordable home. Conference notes with alarm that the Tory Emergency Budget in July was a horrendous attack on the most vulnerable and poorest in our society. It shows that the Tories are celebrating their small majority Government with a […]

Fighting against the cuts

Conference notes the election results in May and that the Tories will take the opportunity to push through ideological cuts to public services. Over the last five years, branches have seen that training budgets and funding for equality and diversity are amongst the first to be cut. This means that employees have less training or […]

Giving young trans people a decent start in life

Conference notes the widespread lack of awareness about young trans people and the issues they face, including within schools. This is made worse by the impact of austerity cuts to specialist and mainstream youth services, to community and support groups and to health services. Conference believes that giving young trans people the information, support and, […]