Hate crime: not just one target

Conference notes that hate crime continues to blight the lives of too many people, affecting them at work, in their homes and as they go about their lives. Conference acknowledges the work done by UNISON, by individual activists and by our community groups to highlight the extent and effect of hate crime, the limitations of […]

Harassment and hate crime at work

Conference notes the 2011 report ‘Insight into ill-treatment in the workplace’ funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and supported by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service and Equality and Human Rights Commission. This reported that just under half the British workforce had experienced unreasonable treatment at work over a two year period. It […]

LGBT and sex worker organising and the fight against HIV

Conference notes that the Global Commission on HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and the Law’s 2012 landmark report “HIV and the Law: Risks, Rights & Health” presented compelling evidence that laws that protect human rights strengthen AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) responses. Its recommendations relating to the most-at-risk populations in terms of HIV, including men who have […]

Equal marriage – keeping up the pressure

Conference notes that there has been significant progress towards equality in marriage and civil partnership but the job is by no means done. Conference welcomes: 1. The concessions and pledges achieved during the passage of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act for England and Wales, including on the reviews of civil partnership and surviving partner […]

In – Out: Why Europe Matters – LGBT Equality in Europe

Conference notes that in 2008, ILGA-Europe (The European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Association) and the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) proposed a Horizontal Directive, banning discrimination in goods and services on grounds of age, disability, religion/belief and sexual orientation. One of the many benefits of a single legislative approach […]

Bargaining against the bullies

Conference notes with concern the rise in bullying and harassment in the workplace as a predictable consequence of cuts to public services. Increasing budgetary pressures lead to top down pressure on managers to achieve greater output from an increasingly over-stretched workforce. Bullying and harassment of staff follows all too often. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) […]

Fighting the cuts, finding the evidence

Conference notes that there have been many anecdotal reports of the disproportionate impact of the government’s austerity measures on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people but a lack of hard evidence to date. Conference therefore welcomes the support of UNISON’s General Political Fund (GPF) in funding the national LGBT group to commission research in […]

Engaging retired members

Conference recognises that UNISON has many retired members, and these numbers are growing year on year. Conference believes that retired members bring huge value to self organisation: strengthening our voice and campaigns and retaining the experience of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) members when they retire. Further, retired members gain from their continued involvement […]

Building a stronger union – recruiting and organising lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members

Conference congratulates regional and branch lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) groups and the caucuses on the work they have done to recruit new members into UNISON. We all welcome UNISON’s major recruitment drive to strengthen our union, to enable us to better defend our members and to campaign even more effectively. Conference believes national […]

Alcohol and drugs – a workplace issue

Conference notes that the hazardous and harmful use of alcohol and drugs is an issue for our diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, which impacts on our working lives. ‘Part of the Picture’ – a five year research project (2009-2014) by the Lesbian and Gay Foundation and University of Central Lancashire – has […]

Supporting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Young People

Conference acknowledges the excellent work already undertaken by the National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Committee to raise the awareness of issues faced by LGBT members. Unfortunately, LGBT members are still facing homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, and our young people particularly suffer from bullying within education. We still hear about LGBT young people being […]

SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION IS GOOD

Conference is aware that many of our activists use videos, such as those from UNISON’s recent membership campaigns and television adverts, to raise awareness of our union. These are great recruitment tools which support our activists and engage potential members’ interest but they seldom promote the work the self-organised groups do or highlight the union’s […]

Compulsory Personal Social Health Education (PSHE) including LGBT issues in schools

Despite pressure from within successive governments and external organisations for many years, Personal Social Health Education (PSHE) is still not compulsory in secondary education. The government rejected the proposal to make PSHE compulsory in March 2013 and it continues to be “not yet good enough” as stated in the Ofsted report published in May. However, […]

Caucuses Supporting Regional Participation

Conference notes some regions are reporting reduced attendance at their open regional lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) group meetings and in particular a distinct lack of Black, disabled, bisexual and transgender members. The National LGBT Committee is made up of 24 representatives of the regional groups (two per region). These representatives are elected by […]

Ethical care

Conference notes that many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people are less able than others to rely on family support in old age so may be more reliant on home care services. Conference is concerned about the quality of such services and whether they address the needs of LGBT people. Conference also notes that […]