Gender Recognition Act reform and Government LGBT Action Plan

Conference welcomes the launch of the Westminster government’s consultation on reform of the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) 2004 on 3 July 2018. It notes that the consultation closed on 19 October, and commends all those branch and regional groups, individual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) members and others who submitted responses supporting the reform […]

Palestine

Conference condemns Donald Trump’s unilateral decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to move the US embassy to the city. On 14 May, as Israeli and US officials celebrated the embassy’s official opening, Israeli troops fired with live ammunition on unarmed Palestinians taking part in the Great Return March protests in Gaza, […]

Solidarity initiatives to Support LGBT People in Turkey and Colombia

Conference reaffirms that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights are human rights. However, even where legislation is in place, many LGBT workers still face considerable discrimination. Research shows transgender people experience the most severe forms of workplace discrimination including, in some countries, being excluded from the formal labour market completely. Turkey and Colombia are […]

Pride in Procurement

Conference notes the recent increase in the number of companies selling ‘Pride’ related fashion and merchandise either in partnership with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organisations or on the premise that a percentage of their sales will be donated to LGBT organisations. Examples include Primark, which teamed up with Stonewall, and H&M, which donated […]

Cross branch working in increasingly diverse workplace environments

Conference cautiously welcomes developments and new ways of working that help to address service user and community needs negatively impacted by savage Tory central government cuts. For instance, Adult Social Care and Health Professional services are increasingly working together to provide enhanced clinical and social care rehabilitation pathways, helping people who require short periods of […]

Same Sex Marriage in Northern Ireland

That this conference celebrates that same sex marriage has been legalized in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Scotland, England, Wales, the USA and Uruguay. That this conference is concerned that the same rights are not […]

Supporting members experiencing transphobic false allegations of misconduct

Conference notes with concern that over recent months there has been a dramatic increase in anti-trans campaigning and transphobia online, in communities, workplaces and, sadly, even within parts of the trade union movement. Although often superficially linked to the debate about the Gender Recognition Act, in reality most of the anti-trans campaigning is targeted at […]

MARRIAGE EQUALITY

That this conference calls upon The National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) to continue to apply pressure in any way legally possible to make full equal marriage a reality in all areas of the United Kingdom (UK). This will include continued pressure by the National LGBT Committee on Westminster and Stormont (if appropriate) to […]

National Self-Organised Group Conferences – Representatives of Relevant Retired Members

Conference notes that, since Rule D7.8 was amended in 2014, the National Retired Members’ Organisation has sent two representatives of relevant retired members to each National Self-Organised Group (SOG) conference. It further notes that the Retired Members’ National Committee (RMNC) chooses these representatives, but Conference continues to think it would be better if, in future, […]

Equal Pensions

Conference notes that: 1)The Supreme Court decision in Walker v Innospec in July 2017, that upon John Walker’s death his husband should get the same pension as would his widow, relies upon European Union (EU) law and sets aside a provision of the United Kingdom’s Equality Act 2010 that permitted occupational pension schemes to pay […]

Palestine

Conference notes that: 1)Israel carries on denying Palestinians their rights and refusing to comply with international law. It maintains regimes of settler colonialism, apartheid and occupation over the Palestinian people; 2)This is only possible because of international support for Israel; governments do not hold Israel to account; corporations and institutions all over the world help […]

ADHD in the Workplace

Conference notes that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurological disorder and in fact, one of the most well-researched neurological disorders. It also can be said to be one of the most misunderstood diagnosis. Having ADHD affects every aspect of the individual’s life. ADHD comes in three forms – Inattentive, Impulsive, Hyperactive (or a […]

Negotiating and Bargaining for Disabled Workers Rights

Conference notes that the Equality Act 2010 gives disabled workers the right to reasonable adjustments and the right not to be discriminated against. However these rights are often only made real when UNISON disabled members and UNISON stewards raise these issues with employers through their local representation and bargaining. For example, the Equality Act Code […]

Legal Recognition of British Sign Language

Conference notes that although the UK government formally recognised British Sign Language (BSL) as a language in its own right in 2003, this did not give full legal status to BSL. Scotland is the only country in the UK to give BSL full legal status and to agree to promote its use. BSL still does […]

Breaking down barriers for Neurodiverse Women

Conference notes that “neurodiversity” is a relatively new term that refers to people who have dyslexia, autism, ADHD, dyspraxia or other related conditions that may also stem from a neurological impairment. People with these conditions have a wide range of characteristics but may also share some common features in terms of how they learn and […]