Improving services for bisexual people

Conference notes that of all the main sexual orientation groups, bisexual people are the most invisible and least provided for in terms of dedicated or fully relevant and inclusive services. Lack of evidence on bisexual people and services is both a symptom and a cause of wider bisexual invisibility. Conference therefore welcomes the survey report […]

Bi not binary

Conference notes the myths and prejudice that surround bisexuality and bisexual people and how this impacts on people’s working lives. Conference believes that this is partly based on the dominant perception that gender identity and sexual orientation are binaries – woman or man; same sex attraction or opposite sex attraction. This leads to the non-inclusive […]

Developing and supporting new activists

Conference notes that last year the national young members’ forum introduced a motion to draw up a charter for the ongoing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) movement, to help newer, younger activists understand what there still is to fight for. Conference further notes the motion was well-received and this charter is currently being drafted […]

The Scottish LGBT Equality Report

On the 21st July 2015 the Equality Network launched The Scottish LGBT Equality Report, a major new state-of-the-nation report on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people’s experiences of inequality in Scotland. The report is the most comprehensive study of LGBT inequality in Scotland to date, based on a survey of 1052 respondents and informed […]

YOUNG, LGBT AND FACING HOMELESSNESS

Conference notes that the last government enacted housing and benefit policies which had a severe impact on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. Conference is disheartened to find that, following the General Election, we now have a Tory government that is set to make things even worse, and for young LGBT people in particular. […]

Election of Retired Members’ Representatives to Self-Organised Group Conferences

Conference welcomes the decision of national delegate conference 2014 to amend rule D.6.8 to let the national retired members’ organisation send two representatives of relevant retired members to each national self organised group (SOG) conference. Conference congratulates the national retired members’ committee (NRMC) on its speed to implement this so that, as a result of […]

Prioritisation

Conference notes that prioritisation is a means to enable us to debate first and to have enough time to debate fully matters we deem of greatest significance. Conference considers there is a need to review whether, in practice, this is what we achieve. Conference wonders: 1. Whether any method of prioritisation can achieve such an […]

Alan Turing and Gross Indecency Convictions

Conference applauds the posthumous Royal Pardon granted to Alan Turing for his 1952 gross indecency conviction, effective in December 2013. However Conference believes that such pardons should be given to all men, living and deceased, who were similarly convicted because of their homosexuality. Conference agrees that the legislation that allowed such convictions was iniquitous, unjust […]

Sex and Relationship Education Lessons (SREL)

Conference notes that there is a growing call for ‘Sex and Relationship Education Lessons’ (SREL) to be included as a statutory part of our education system, including at previous UNISON Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) conferences. Reasons for the call include: 1. The fact that the United Kingdom has the worst rates of teenage […]

Amendment to SO3, 3.3.4

Delete para 3.3.4 and insert new 3.3.4 ‘If there is no other delegate to move the motion, then the motion and any amendments to it, falls. If there is no other delegate to move the amendment, then the amendment, falls.’

Sharer Delegates to Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Conference

Conference notes that each UNISON Branch is entitled to send 10 Delegates to Conference. Conference further notes that this lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) conference is unable to send sharer delegates to our conference? This branch believes that this restricts participation in our self-organised group. This is due to that fact that every delegation’s […]

Amendment to SO6, 6.1

After ‘National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Committee.’ INSERT ‘Or any other member of the National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Committee as delegated and agreed by the Co-chairs of the National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Committee.’

Improving working conditions for Care workers

There is a high proportion of Black workers in the care and support sector. Black workers disproportionately face job losses, downgrading and cuts in hours. In addition to this, care workers working with individuals with learning difficulties and dementia are at a higher risk of suffering from violence and abuse at work. Some of whom […]

Local government pay – an equality issue

Conference notes with concern that local government pay remains the lowest in the public sector, and that most local government workers are also paid substantially less than their equivalents in the private sector. The real value of average UK pay packets has fallen by 12% since 2010, and for most local government workers the fall […]

Equality rights and national collective agreements

Conference is concerned at the continuing pressure to move away from nationally agreed terms and conditions amongst local government employers, including those of our own National Joint Council (NJC). Conference notes that it was our union’s national collective bargaining that established many equality protections long before they were enshrined in law. For example, our predecessor […]