Tackling Biphobia in the Energy Industry

Conference welcomes the progress we have made in putting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality on the bargaining agenda in the energy industry. However, conference notes that LGBT workers are a diverse group, who experience different types of discrimination in different ways. There is increasing understanding that issues facing transgender workers, while having many […]

Raising the profile of LGBT workplace equality in energy

Conference welcomes the strong track record of our energy service group on equality issues. Amongst other successes, this has resulted in a diversity of activists on our national energy service group bodies, reflecting UNISON’s rules on fair representation and proportionality, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activists. Conference acknowledges the importance of such role […]

Energy Efficiency

This conference welcomes the recent focus on domestic energy efficiency and the well documented gains a national programme of energy efficiency measures would achieve. Conference also welcomes the role that UNISON has played in raising awareness of the gains that could be achieved by producing its report ‘warm homes into the future – meeting the […]

Competition and Markets Enquiry

This conference notes that last year the energy regulator Ofgem referred the big six energy companies (British Gas, EDF, E.ON, NPower, SP and SSE) to the Competition and Markets Authority. UNISON has many thousands of members working for these employers. This referral followed an assessment of the sector by Ofgem alongside the Office of Fair […]

Smart Meters

This conference notes that 2015 marks the beginning of the national roll out of smart meters to UK homes and that this roll out should be completed by 2020. Much positive spin has been placed on the net benefits the smart meter programme will deliver, however despite this many concerns have also been raised. Conference […]

Disabled members and facility time

Conference is concerned to hear that facility time within the Energy Sector is being diminished. This particularly affects many representatives who are call takers, this is an occupation undertaken by many disabled members, who are already struggling to meet their targets / attendance due to their disability. Declaring your disability can be a scary thing […]

European Works Council in Iberdrola

Conference Notes 1)The increasing domination of the UK energy market by European based multinational energy companies and the detrimental impact this has on the influence national trade unions can bring to bear in representing their members. 2)The legal obligations on European companies to establish European Works Councils (EWC’s) to give a voice to employees where […]

Women Apprentices

Conference notes the much lower number of women who become apprentices in areas such as engineering, construction and information technology, and that occupational segregation within the energy sector is widespread. Whilst there are apprenticeships available for women, female dominated areas tend to offer lower wages and less chance of career progression, therefore women apprentices are […]

Rise of Racism in the UK

Conference, a recent study commissioned by NatCen, an organisation which looks into British Social Attitudes has overwhelmingly established that racism is on the rise. While thirty per cent of Britons described themselves as having “very or a little prejudice against people of other races”, the survey also outlined that attitudes have changed since the 1980’s […]

HIDDEN DISABILITIES

Conference notes with concern the issues faced by our Black members living with long term conditions and hidden disabilities such as Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) more common in Black women, Sarcoidosis and Sickle cell. The fact that these conditions are not obvious can cause members to have their complaints for sick leave and requests for […]

ROTHERHAM

Conference is appalled at the cases of grooming and sexual abuse in Rotherham. While we do not know the true scale the independent enquiry into Child sexual exploitation in Rotherham led by Alexis Jay gives a conservative estimate involving approximately 1400 children, adding: “It is hard to describe the appalling nature of the abuse that […]

BLACK LGBT ASYLUM SEEKERS

Conferences is concerned to hear that homosexuality is criminalised in 76 countries in the world, including 40 African countries, and society persecutes and discriminates against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Trans (LGBT) people in even more countries. In July 2011 it was reported that the Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma had spoken out against discrimination towards […]

DEFINING BLACK

Conference, despite the work done by the National Black Members’ Committee in producing a definition of ‘Black’ in UNISON in 2013 there continues to be questions about using ‘Black’ when addressing Black members. We have also found that branches and Regions in the union continue to use other definitions when describing ‘Black’ members, such as […]

POLITICS AND BLACK COMMUNITIES

Black communities must reject the economic policies of the coalition government. Austerity cuts continue to significantly impact on Black people and we cannot sit back and see our basic human rights eroded due to the colour of our skin. Conference, too often the colour of your skin determines your life chances and Black communities continue […]

ENCOURAGING BLACK WOMEN MEMBERS IN BRANCH

Nelson Mandela once said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which we can use to change the world”. However, Conference is disappointed to hear that many Black women members and activists are not taking up the opportunity to attend UNISON training courses. Anecdotal evidence would suggest that there are two reasons for this. Firstly, it […]