COMPENSATION CLAIMS

Conference applauds the Law Lords for their landmark decision on 30 January 2008 ruling that courts will in future have discretion to extend the six-year limit for claimants in cases of deliberate assaults. Conference congratulates Mrs A for her persistence in pursuing this for 20 years and supports her in her claim for substantial damages […]

NOT FOR SALE

This conference is pleased to note the research commissioned by Harriet Harman as part of her key priorities. This report published on Tuesday 29th January 2008 confirms that advertising women for sex is widespread in local and regional newspapers. Three quarters of the papers examined for the research carried advertisements for women or services offered […]

ABORTION RIGHTS

Conference notes the announcement in the Queens Speech in November 2007 that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill would start its progress through the House of Lords almost immediately and would be debated in the House of Commons in the Spring of 2008. Whilst not the primary focus of this piece of legislation, the first […]

MOVING ON UP REPORT; BANGLADESHI, PAKISTANI AND CARIBBEAN WOMEN AT WORK

Conference notes the ‘Moving On up’ report published by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) IN March 2007 which found that Caribbean, Pakistani and Bangladeshi girls obtain better GCSE grades , including Maths and English than white British boys. Yet Caribbean, Bangladeshi and Pakistani women graduates seeking work are five times more likely to be unemployed […]

BREAST CANCER PREVENTION – SAFE PRODUCTS

Widely reported is the fact that fewer than 50 per cent of breast cancer cases can be attributed to the ‘officially recognised’ risk factors understood to increase a woman’s susceptibility to breast cancer – for example late onset of menopause, body weight, diet or late age pregnancy. A growing mountain of research points the finger […]

CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT A LEGAL DEFINITION OF DOMESTIC ABUSE

Conference applauds the decision last year to forward Motion 9 ‘Definition of Violence against Women’ to National Conference and we thank the National Women’s Committee for their work in taking forward the work contained in last year’s motion. Sadly, we were all reminded in August 2007, how our legal system fails women. On 24th August […]

VOTES FOR WOMEN – A CELEBRATION OF WOMEN ACTIVISTS

This conference notes that it is some 120 years since the inaugural meeting in the Union of Women Match Makers was held in July 27 1988, and 90 years since women over 30 and married women were given the right to vote and that Parliamentary Qualification of Women Act allowed women to be elected as […]

MOVING ON UP REPORT: BANGLADESHI, CARIBBEAN AND PAKISTANI WOMEN AND WORK

Conference welcomes the report Moving on Up published by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) in March 2007 which found that Bangladeshi, Caribbean and Pakistani girls obtain better GCSE grades, including Maths and English than white British boys. Yet graduate Bangladeshi, Caribbean and Pakistani women seeking work are five times more likely to be unemployed than […]

A MILLION WOMEN IN THE UNION – A MILLION WORKERS RISE AGAINST VIOLENCE

This conference notes that the experience, threat or fear of men’s violence affects the lives of women and girls everywhere, cutting across boundaries of wealth, race and culture. Violence against women is both a cause and consequence of continued inequality and discrimination. States continue to fail to meet a due diligent standard to prevent violence […]

HOW WIDE IS THE POWER GAP FOR BLACK WOMEN

Black women face obstacles in accessing power – from the grassroots to the Government. They are severely under-represented in senior and governance positions across the public, private and voluntary sectors. At the current pace of change, it will be more than the three centuries before the seats of Parliament reflect Britain’s population of ethnic minority […]

TIME TO DRAW THE LINE CAMPAIGN

Conference is saddened that incidents of domestic abuse are not decreasing and conviction rates, although increasing, in reality remain depressingly low. Eighty nine per cent of those suffering four or more incidents are women and one incident of domestic abuse is reported to the police every minute. Conference acknowledges the hard work that UNISON women […]

A WOMEN’S PAPER FOR WOMEN’S ORGANISATION

This conference notes that other Self Organised Groups have dedicated newsletters/publications yet none exist for Women in UNISON. Whilst we note that we are the majority in terms of membership we feel that this is not reflected in UNISON publications such as Focus. We therefore request that the National Women’s Committee prepares a report for […]

MOVING ON UP REPORT: BANGLADESHI, PAKISTANI AND CARIBBEAN WOMEN AT WORK

Conference notes the ‘Moving On up’ report published by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) IN March 2007 which found that Caribbean, Pakistani and Bangladeshi girls obtain better GCSE grades , including Maths and English than white British boys. Yet Caribbean, Bangladeshi and Pakistani women graduates seeking work are five times more likely to be unemployed […]

MOTIONS AND AMENDMENTS – PRE-CONFERENCE PROCEDURE

Standing Order 3.2 Amend first sentence to read “Each branch and regional women’s group, other national self-organised groups and the National Young Members’ Forum may submit motions, amendments to motions and amendments to Standing Orders.” Delete second sentence.

SEXISM IN THE CITY

London’s square mile is one of the most economically prosperous areas in the world. But behind that success lies a hidden story of disadvantage and discrimination affecting women at all levels – a story which is replicated in cities all across the UK, both in the public and private sector. Prejudice about women’s abilities and […]