During the recent Conservative Party conference several Conservative cabinet ministers gave speeches in which they attacked the transgender community. The Prime Minister said that the British public were being “bullied” into believing that “people can be any sex they want to be.” The Home Secretary said that “Trans women have no place in women’s wards […]
Conference motions
Conference condemns the comments of the Home Secretary and her attack on LGBT+, women asylum seekers and multiculturalism in her speech 26th September 2023. As the government department responsible for policing, we believe that this rhetoric undermines the confidence in policing and risks damaging the hard work and effort of generations of Police Staff, who […]
Conference notes: On 23rd June 2023 the Probation unions, UNISON, Napo and GMB/SCOOP submitted a pay-reopener claim of an increase in the value of all pay points of 12% effective from 1 April 2023 and an unconsolidated payment of £2,500. Despite repeated promises over many weeks the employer has failed to respond to this pay […]
Conference notes that we are halfway through celebrating the Year of LGBT+ Workers and welcomes the opportunity that this provides to promote UNISON as the union for LGBT+ workers, raise awareness of LGBT+ rights throughout the union, challenge discrimination, and recruit and activate LGBT+ members. The year highlights the important contribution our LGBT+ members make […]
Conference acknowledges the importance of the ‘Lucas Plan’ formulated 47 years ago by trade unionists at Lucas Aerospace. It proposed an alternative corporate plan, protecting jobs, demanding fair wages, better working conditions and addressed social inequalities. The 2015 International Trade Union Conference (ITUC) agreement developed this, calling for a unified campaign to promote workers rights, […]
Conference is proud that UNISON is one of the founding members of the Disability Employment Charter which now has 147 organisations signed up to it, including trade unions, disabled people organisations, public service employers, charitable organisations, and private sector employers. The disability employment charter was founded because of the disadvantage that disabled people experience in […]
Conference notes the negative impact of media reporting regarding lgbt+ people in the wake of Gender Reform Act being proposed and agreed by the Scottish Parliament. Conference notes that this has contributed to many lgbt+ people decreasing their interactions with their communities especially in the sporting community. Conference further notes the negative impact, in terms […]
Conference will recall that the 2022 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender plus (LGBT+) Conference voted in support of stepping up our efforts to ensure young LGBT+ members are being recruited and given opportunities to become activists within our self-organised group (SOG). This committed the national LGBT+ committee to work with the National Young Members Forum (NYMF) […]
Conference notes that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Plus (LGBT+) rights have been gradually eroded during the 10+ years of the Conservative Party being in power in Westminster. This year, the United Kingdom fell to 17th place in the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex (ILGA) Europe ‘Rainbow Europe’ report, there continues to be […]
Conference notes that a workplace that actively creates an inclusive environment for its employees is more successful, retains staff, provides empowerment of opportunity, and builds stronger relationships. In UNISON we understand the power of ‘Stronger Together’, our history is testament to this. As we move into UNISON’s ‘year of LGBT+ workers’ in 2024 we also […]
Conference notes that many LGBT+ asylum seekers face a considerable number of barriers which impact on their physical and mental health. This is compounded by this United Kingdom (UK) Government policies, such as the displacement of asylum seekers to Rwanda, which has now been put on hold as the Court of Appeal ruled that Rwanda […]
Conference notes with concern a letter that was sent by the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) chair, Baroness Falkner, to Kemi Badenoch MP, Minister for Women and Equalities. The Minister had previously asked for the EHRC’s advice on the definition of sex as a protected characteristic in the Equality Act 2010 (EqA). In response, […]
Conference has always taken an interest in the publication of the Rainbow Map and Index each year in May and in particular the ranking of the United Kingdom (UK). ILGA-Europe, the European region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (IE) have produced the map and index since 2009, using it to […]
Conference greatly values the opportunity for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Plus (LGBT+) members to gather for one weekend every year at National LGBT+ Conference to share concerns and aspirations, and establish priorities for the subsequent year. This is a key event for the LGBT+ Self-organised group. Conference recognises the amount of planning involved, the […]
Conference notes the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategies (VAWG) currently in place or in consultation across England and devolved nations must be more explicit in its inclusion of LGBT+ communities. Research by the national partner and sexual violence survey found that underreporting of domestic abuse in the LGBT+ community is between 60 and 80%. […]