Enacting the Equality Act

Conference welcomes the approval of the Equality Act by Parliament in the last administration. However, conference notes that there are elements of the Act that have yet to be enacted. Conference is concerned that the Government may be less than enthusiastic about enacting the remaining elements. Conference therefore instructs the National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and […]

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Asylum Seekers – the Fight goes on

Conference welcomes the Supreme Court’s unanimous judgement on 7 July 2010, which overturned the Home Office policy and the approach previously taken by the Courts of returning lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) asylum seekers to their countries of origin on the basis that they would be safe if they remain “discreet” about their sexual orientation. […]

Representation of Transgendered People in Popular Media

Conference welcomes the three motions passed at Trade Union Congress (TUC) Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Conference 2010* on the portrayal of LGBT people in the media. Conference also welcomes the information sheet “Complaining about the media” produced by the National Union of Journalists distributed at TUC LGBT Conference which encourages views to be […]

Recognition of Civil Partnerships – An International Issue, A Human Rights Issue

Conference notes that the introduction of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 was both a milestone piece of equality legislation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people and since its introduction has brought to thousands of LGBT couples who have formed a civil partnership, both legal and public recognition of their relationships. Conference also welcomes […]

Sickness Absence Policies and Disability Related Sickness Absence

Over 5 years ago in 2005, the Government’s Strategy Unit published a far-reaching paper called ‘Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People’. This report, largely welcomed by trade unions, laid out an ambitious objective of ending discrimination against disabled people in Britain by the year 2025, twenty years later? A quarter of the way into […]

Changes to Access to Work Support

This conference is concerned about severe restrictions which have been placed on the support offered to disabled employees by Access to Work in recent changes starting October 1st. The great majority of funding for “physical adjustments” such as equipment, telephony, adaptations to buildings and similar will no longer be provided. The cost will now be […]

Disabled Members and the anti-cuts campaign

Conference notes that the Comprehensive Spending Review announced on October 20th will have a devastating effect on disabled people. With local government losing more than a quarter of its funding over the next four years, disabled people and their families are likely to see their services and support drastically affected. Conference believes that now more […]

BLUDGEONING THE BENEFITS SYSTEM

Conference believes that the Government’s proposed reforms of the benefits system will have a disproportionate effect on disabled people pushing them further into poverty and notes that many disabled workers are amongst the lowest paid members of the workforce and may rely on benefits to supplement their income and ensure that they have a decent […]

CAMPAIGNING AGAINST CUTS

Conference expresses concern over the Government’s proposals to address the deficit by their slash and cut approach to public services, in particularly local government and health. Conference believes the attacks on jobs and services will have a disproportionate effect on disabled, Black and other sectors of the community who are both public service workers and […]

UNITED NATION’S CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF DISABLED PERSONS

Conference applauds the National LGBT Committee’s work on human rights which has greatly improved the understanding of human rights based approaches to the delivery of public services within the mainstream union membership as well as amongst LGBT members. Conference welcomes the previous government’s signing of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons […]

INVIGORATING LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER (LGBT) PARTICIPATION

Conference notes that whilst National Delegate Conference did not debate Motion 9, which called for a review of self organisation, the National Executive Council (NEC) has included this in their work programme and set up a working party of members of the NEC’s Development and Organisation Committee and chairs (or their nominees) of the national […]

REGIONAL SELF-ORGANISED GROUPS WORKING TOGETHER

Conference celebrates how self organisation is fundamental and central to the structures and function of UNISON since the creation of the union. However, each year only a small number of branches send members to self organised group (SOG) conferences. A recent survey found that the majority of the 92 branches in the South West region […]

EQUALITY IN MARRIAGE AND CIVIL PARTNERSHIP

Conference welcomes the progress in equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people under the last Labour government. Notable achievements include the introduction of civil partnership for same sex couples and the Gender Recognition Act, which gives trans people the opportunity to gain legal recognition of their acquired gender. Conference notes that in the […]

DEFENDING LGBT RIGHTS WHILE FIGHTING THE CUTS

Conference is concerned by attempts by the current government to foster a progressive image on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality, while carrying out an unprecedented attack on the rights of LGBT workers and provision for LGBT service users. Conference notes that the devastating impact of this Government’s public sector cuts on women, Black […]

AXING OUR RIGHTS

This Conference is deeply concerned at the coalition government’s announcement on Friday 13th August of its decision to axe the Audit Commission. The Commission has played an important role in promoting the employment rights and public service provision to disabled people by those public authorities that are covered by the Disability Equality Duty. Our greatest […]