There have been significant changes to working patterns and practices that have happened since the pandemic, including a large rise in remote and hybrid working, including in Energy sector employers. Greater flexibility should be welcomed where this works for staff. Some disabled women and women with caring responsibilities may find more home working a useful […]
Conference motions
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of remote work and hybrid work models, challenging traditional notions of the workplace. As we transition into a post-pandemic world, it is crucial to examine the benefits and challenges associated with these new ways of working. Since 2020 the role of working from home and hybrid working has […]
This motion aims to further address the issue of neurodiverse women in the workplace, especially women working in the Energy sector workplaces and how they can be appropriately supported in careers. More women are being diagnosed as neurodiverse, yet many women are still waiting for tests and a diagnosis of Autism and ADHD. As a […]
Conference is well aware that disabled workers are paid £3,700 less than non-disabled workers. But conference notes that disabled women are paid even less than disabled men. According to TUC analysis, disabled women face an even bigger pay gap of over £7,000 a year. The gap also increases as women age. Conference recognises that there […]
Workplace Sexual Harassment Numerous surveys run over the course of the pandemic have demonstrated an increase in workplace sexual harassment, with most experiences being online. Homeworking has left women workers unsafe and unprotected from sexual harassment at work. Current protections are clearly not enough. Women have experienced harassment on various online platforms and felt unable […]
Please note, in this context, when we refer to Women, the term encompasses women and pregnant people. Conference notes that there is currently a disparity around attendance management policies for pregnancy losses of less than 24 weeks gestation when compared to pregnancy related illness in an ongoing pregnancy. Our members can unfairly fall through the […]
For too many years now it seems that the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) are neither able nor willing to negotiate with the unions in good faith. It appears that perhaps UCEA is acting as an arm of the Conservative Government, representing year after year of increasingly austerity for staff working in Higher Education. […]
Conference notes and welcomes the new protection from redundancy for pregnant workers and new parents. Conference thanks Dan Jarvis MP for working in support with UNISON on the new law – the Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Bill – to prevent employers from laying off expectant mothers and new parents, by extending redundancy […]
Despite the Equal Pay Act coming into force over 50 years ago, there remains a persistent gender pay gap on university campuses across the United Kingdom. According to the Times Higher Education (THE), the mean pay gap in Higher Education in 2020 – 2021 was 14.8% which was higher than the UK average of 11.3%. […]
Conference notes that 2023 was designated UNISON’s year of Black workers, with the aim of ‘establishing legacy to generate change’. Conference welcomes all the work that has been put into marking the year of Black workers, but notes that there is still a long way to go, particularly in regards to young Black members in […]
Conference is clear about the impact of HR processes can have in fairness and equality at work. One example is talent management strategies, which are often designed and implemented in a manner that can lead to a significant disparity in opportunities for Black employees across sectors. The Chartered Institute of People Development (CIPD) defines Talent […]
The National Health Service (NHS) reported that 3.25 million individuals had contact with mental health services during 2021/22 which is approximately 5.8 percent of the population. The Mental Health Foundation tells us that 50% of mental health problems are established by age 14 and 75% by age 24, yet many young people have not had […]
It was reported in 2022 via a leaked National Health Service (NHS) report that Black youth and Black individuals in general were being failed by the system. They now make up 11 per cent of the population however 36 per cent of individuals detained in the highest level units are Black, with limited access to […]
Conference notes barriers faced by Black people when accessing information and treatment for mental health care. Black communities are more likely to experience stigma and shame due to negative stereotyping and attitudes of rejection around mental health awareness. In our region, Black individuals are significantly affected due to racism, discrimination and cultural insensitivity. Work-related stress […]
The history of Black women’s involvement in the union in the UK is an extended, valuable and greatly inspiring one, yet the narratives of Black women activists have often been wiped away or minimised. Black women have long led the way in organising strategies and mobilising communities in the fight against racism and justice for […]