Ghana

Conference is appalled by reports that Paul Evans Adioo, Ghana’s minister for the country’s Western Region, has instructed thye Bureau of National Investiagions and other agencies to find all Lesbian and Gay people and bring them before the courts in efforts to “get rid of these people in the society”. It is also reported that […]

Tackling Bullying in Schools

UNISON believes that the harassment, bullying and persecution of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trangender (LGBT) people is an issue for every member. Homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying is commonplace within society. It is seen in all aspects of everyday life, on the streets, in the media and in political life. It is in this context […]

Fighting cuts in the National Health Service and Fighting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Inequalities

The Health and Social Care Bill 2011 represents the biggest shake-up of the National Health Service (NHS) since its inception by a Labour Government in 1948. The NHS that we know and love is under threat. The Tory-led government plans to massively shake-up the NHS which has the potential to cause devastating damage. Government plans […]

Effective Communication Strategies, Channels and Expertise to support UNISON activism

Conference believes that effective communication is fundamental to ensuring that the right information reaches the right people at the right time. We need to embrace both existing and new channels for information, recruitment, training, development and organising. Communication face-to-face remains vital to inform and persuade, but as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people and […]

All Out For Decent Pensions on 30 November

RPI not CPI for indexation of pensions

Conference condemns the decision of the coalition government to change the indexation of pensions from the Retail Price Index (RPI) to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from April 2011. Conference believes that this change in indexation from RPI to CPI together with the rising cost of living will result is a significant increase in pensioner […]

Cheques

Conference notes that the Payments Council announced in July 2011 that the proposal to discontinue the use of cheques from 2015 has been withdrawn for the foreseeable future. Conference applauds the success of the campaign to get the Payments Council to reverse the decision to abolish cheques. Conference further notes that serious damage has been […]

Elder Abuse

Currently the process and systems to protect older people throughout the United Kingdom are only based on guidance. We believe adult protection should have the same status as child protection. Every year nearly half a million older people in the UK are suffering some form of physical, psychological, financial and/or sexual abuse. Whilst abuse and […]

Winter Fuel Allowance

Conference is very concerned that in the coalition government’s Budget on 23 March 2011 it reduced the Winter Fuel Allowance (WFA) by £100 (down from £400 to £300) for the over 80’s households and by £50 (down from £250 to £200) for the under 80’s households. In view of the horrendous rise in fuel costs […]

Making Disabled Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People’s Rights Real

Conference notes with concern that disabled LGBT people are being disenfranchised at the hands of the Tory-led Government and our human rights and independence are seriously under threat. Disabled LGBT people are facing cuts to benefits, rises in unemployment, have no protection against dual discrimination, reductions in the provision of social care, being denied the […]

Organising Disabled Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Members

Conference believes that our disabled LGBT members have an important role to play within the LGBT self organised group and wider union. Branches and regions have a responsibility to encourage disabled LGBT members to become activists within self organisation and mainstream structures. One way to achieve this is for branches and regions to support the […]

Erosion of Equality and Trade Union Rights

onference notes that the Tory led government gives lip service to LGBT equality but behind the scenes is gradually eroding our hard-won LGBT rights, a situation only exacerbated by their simultaneous attack on trade union rights. Conference condemns this government for refusing to implement in full Labour’s ground breaking Equality Act which for the first […]

Being Blackand Trans

Conference acknowledges the large steps that we have taken in recognising transgender issues and is aware of how far we still need to go in fighting transphobia. However, we still need to highlight the issues that face some Black trans people. Hormone therapy increases the risk of stroke and deep vein thrombosis, while people with […]

Building the Public’s Support for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Public Services

Conference deplores the visible detrimental impact the Tory-led government’s brutal and unnecessary cuts have had on public services, including services for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. These ideologically driven cuts to public sector funding have seen targeted services such as those delivered by HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) prevention workers, LGBT youth workers and […]

Best Value and Cuts to Community and Voluntary Organisations

Conference notes that in August 2011, False Economy revealed that more than 2,000 charities and community groups were facing budget cuts due to local authority reductions in funding, following responses to requests under the Freedom of Information Act. These included vital services for LGBT people, women survivors of domestic abuse, vulnerable children and homelessness services. […]