Disabled members and the “spare bedroom tax”

MOTION TO LGBT CONFERENCE Conference notes the changes to Housing Benefit Legislation which is leading to additional pressure on those renting in the private sector. The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) restriction to that of a room in a shared house for single people under 35 has led to an increase in rent arrears and homelessness. […]

PALESTINE

Conference welcomes the: 1)Adoption by UNISON Conference 2012 of Composite L on Palestine, which reaffirmed UNISON’s existing policy and agreed that UNISON should: A)Use its influence in trade union bodies to raise the findings of the Russell Tribunal, which found that the state of Israel subjects the Palestinian people to a regime of domination amounting […]

Increase in HIV Education Spending

This conference notes the increasing Government cut backs on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) education. In 2010, the number of people living with HIV in the United Kingdom (UK) reached an estimated 91,500, according to the Health Protection Agency (HPA), with around a quarter of these people (22,000-plus) being unaware that they are infected. The HPA […]

Bargaining for trans workers rights

Conference is concerned that trans workers still face high levels of prejudice and discrimination when seeking work and once in work. A 2011 Government Equalities Office survey found that nearly half of trans employees experienced discrimination or harassment in their workplaces and 88% said that ignorance of transgender issues was the biggest challenge they faced […]

Decolonising LGBT equality – aid conditionality and LGBT human rights

Conference notes with concern the statement by Prime Minister David Cameron that overseas aid should be cut to countries which criminalise homosexuality. Conference notes that UNISON is opposed to such aid conditionality. Conference believes that it would not advance lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) human rights or equality but rather would create a real […]

Challenging attacks on equality and human rights

Conference is concerned about the Tory government’s ever deepening attacks on the equality and human rights framework and their impact on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) members. In May 2012, the government announced the outcome of its 2011 Red Tape Challenge ‘spotlight on equality’, which reviewed the 2010 Equality Act before the ink on […]

Reaching our potential members

Conference notes that UNISON has always led the trade union movement on equality, including through our rulebook commitment to fair representation. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) self-organisation has been instrumental in making sure that our practice lives up to our principles. Conference recognises that the organising challenges we face now are greater than ever […]

Pay and Pride

Conference notes the disregard shown by the Tory led United Kingdom Government to equality in law and the discriminations that employees encounter within their respective workplaces. Conference also notes that many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people work within the public services because of the terms and conditions afforded them and the regard to […]

HIV and AIDS

Conference recognises the difficult but outstanding work done by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) support agencies. We know that HIV and AIDS prevention and support services do not appear to have a sufficiently high enough profile in mainstream press and media, but we do know statistics are available on an annual […]

LGBT Awareness Training – Supporting our LGBT Members

Conference commends the work of the National lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Committee with regards to raising awareness across this union of issues affecting LGBT members. Conference welcomes the progress made in raising the profile of LGBT participation in our union. UNISON has been at the forefront of the equality agenda and we can […]

Including Retired Members (2)

Conference notes that: 1)UNISON has over 160,000 Retired Members, more by far than any other trades union in the United Kingdom and a number growing by about four per cent per year; 2)UNISON, uniquely, organises retired members in a structure that mirrors that of UNISON as a whole and UNISON Rules also provide for retired […]

There For You

Conference notes that: 1)UNISON Welfare is an independent charity supported by UNISON; 2)In 2011 the charity issued new publicity material with a slogan “There For You”; and, 3)This publicity made much use of photographs of people who might be taken to be UNISON members who have benefited from the charity and/or who have been its […]

Defending LGBT Public Services and Jobs

Conference deplores the Tory-led government’s brutal and unnecessary cuts on public services many of which have had a particular impact on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and young people. Conference further deplores the increased age threshold to 35 for full housing benefit entitlement. Cuts to public sector funding have had a knock on effect […]

Hate Crime – on the increase in times of austerity

Racist and other violence motivated by hatred towards a particular group is a common problem in Europe and the United Kingdom. Unfortunately with attacks reported on ethnic and religious minorities, asylum seekers, refugees, migrants, lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender (LGBT) people and other vulnerable groups in recent years hate crime seems to be on the […]

Keep the English, Welsh and Scottish Defence Leagues in Your Sights

Conference, most people know that the British National Party (BNP) is a racist party, however fewer people realise that the English Defence League (EDL), Welsh Defence League (WDL) and Scottish Defence League (SDL) are also racist, fascist parties. What is particularly worrying about the EDL, WDL and SDL is that they proclaim themselves to be […]