Human Rights are LGBT Rights: Human Rights abuses in Burma

Conference is appalled, despite a majority of 13:2, China actively refused to back agreement for a non-binding Presidential statement condemning continued widespread human rights violations inflicted on the peoples of Burma by the military junta, at last Tuesday’s (13 November) United Nations (UN) Security Council. Forced labour, torture, ill treatment, sexual violence and child labour […]

Banning Incitement to Homo, Bi and Transphobic Hatred

Conference welcomes the Government’s recent announcement (8 October 2007) that it plans to ban incitement to homophobic hatred in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill. However, conference notes that this announcement has met a mixed response, both from those who oppose virtually all moves towards LGBT equality but also from some who seek to be […]

Combating the Threat from the Far Right in Europe

Conference notes with increasing concern: 1.the continued threat posed by the BNP and other parties of the far right in Britain and in other EU countries; 2.evidence of the link between success at local level of far right/fascist parties and an increase in racist, xenophobic, homophobic attacks; 3.the explicitly anti-LGBT nature of these groupings in […]

Persecution of LGBT People

Conference recognises that homophobia continues in the UK. Despite many welcome changes in Legislation, acts of hatred and persecution towards LGBT people continues to poison our society. This was tragically illustrated in April 2007 when James Kerr, an employee of Perth and Kinross Council, was the victim of a horrific homophobic attack in his local […]

FREE NATIONWIDE TRAVEL

The Government included in the 2006 budget the introduction of free local bus travel for pensioners and disabled persons in April 2006 and free nationwide bus travel in April 2008. The implementation of the free local bus travel in April 2006 has not been consistent. Local schemes have been implemented but with many anomalies and […]

LGBT Migrant Workers

Comp B – LGBT Migrant Workers In the last few years Britain has seen a rise in migration from Eastern European countries. Many of these migrants face problems in this country including lack of awareness and denial of housing, benefits and employment rights such as the minimum wage, working time legislation, paid holidays, or protection […]

Homophobic Abuse and Bullying in Schools

Homophobia, biphobia, sexism, gender stereotyping and transphobiais rife in schools and statistics bear witness to this. A recent Stonewall Survey found that: 1.65% of lesbian and gay school pupils have been bullied because of their sexuality; 2.Half of teachers ignore homophobic language when they hear it; 3.30% of pupils say that adults are responsible for […]

Human Tissue and Embryo (Draft) Bill

Conference notes that the United Kingdom (UK) Government is proposing to introduce legislation that will establish a Regulatory Authority for the use of Tissue and Embryos. This proposed development is of major concern to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community but in particular the black and disabled LGBT community as it will affect […]

Black and Disabled Members Network Days

As Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people are not a uniform group, and because our community is as prone to racism and discrimination against disabled people as the rest of society, black and disabled members meet as distinctive groups within our self-organised group. The national committee arranges annual meetings for black and disabled LGBT […]

Human Rights Based Approaches to Promoting Equality for LGBT People

Conference recognises the value of human rights in promoting dignity, equality and protection for all people, especially those who may be vulnerable to abuse of their human rights. Conference also acknowledges the work carried out by the British Institute of Human Rights and the Department of Health in this area and in particular notes the […]

Making LGBT Equality a Reality

Conference notes that UNISON is founded on the principle of equality – this can only become reality where everyone takes responsibility for combating discrimination and promoting equality. Conference believes that while UNISON has made significant progress towards the inclusion of its diverse membership in its structures, organising, negotiations and campaigning, full lesbian, gay, bisexual and […]

Single Equality Act – Framework for Unfairness?

Conference notes the recent Framework for Fairness consultation on the Single Equality Act. Conference believes that if we are to achieve equality at work we need a single, coherent and comprehensive Single Equality Act that strengthens existing discrimination legislation and gives support for trade unions to address inequality through collective bargaining. Conference notes that we […]

Disability Equality Duty – One Year On

Conference celebrates the past year during which we have witnessed great strides in equality – goods and services protection on grounds of sexual orientation, the gender equality duty and the civil partnership act. Conference notes that it is also twelve months since the Disability Equality Duty came into force. Conference further notes that enforcement and […]

Beyond the Barriers – Positively Promoting Disabled LGBT Members

Conference believes that disability – like sexual orientation and gender identity – is a political and civil rights issue. Conference further believes that disability like sexual orientation and gender identity is a trade union issue. Conference notes that disabled Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people face disability discrimination, homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in society […]

Destination Unknown

Conference believes that there is a clear contradiction between the United Kingdom’s (UK’s) policy aim of universal access to Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment for all those who need it by 2010 and the deportation of people living with HIV/Aids who are on treatment to countries where treatment is not readily available or affordable. The […]