Pregnancy and Family Leave

Pregnancy and Family Leave In May 2023, the ‘Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act’ received royal assent. When it comes into force, the Act will modify the existing Employment Rights Act 1996 and introduce essential safeguards during pregnancy or family leave. It will give those who are pregnant or a recent returner from […]

Outsourcing Public Services: Impact on Women Workers

Conference notes that within the public sector, almost 65% of workers are women and as more and more of the public sector is sold off, increasing numbers of working women are facing precarious and low paid work as a result. This is also an intersectionality issue with Black women and disabled women being disproportionality impacted. […]

Access to Apprenticeships for Part-time Women Workers

Conference is concerned that women workers are being refused access to apprenticeships on the bases of working part-time. Conference is aware that 5.87 million people work within the public sector with 1.96 million working within the NHS and 2 million working in Local Government. Conference is also aware that around 65% of public sector workers […]

Supporting Infertility Treatment

Conference notes that Infertility is recognised by the World Health Organisation as a disease of the reproductive system and should be handled at work in the same way as any other health condition. Research by Fertility Network UK has shown that most people experiencing fertility problems are reluctant to speak to their employer, because they […]

Legal aid disadvantaging women

Conference, access to justice through legal aid was already significantly restricted following the major changes to legal aid in 2012. However, shockingly a recent report by the Women’s Budget group has found that women have been disproportionally affected by these changes, leaving them without essential support to fight discrimination, violence, and housing insecurity. Conference, Dr […]

Artificial Intelligence a gift or a curse for women

Conference, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we live our lives and inevitably will have significant consequences within our working lives too. Conference, we recognise the value of AI and as recently highlighted by PWC, AI alone could add an estimated £232 billion to the UK economy by 2030. The introduction of new technology […]

Reverse Visa Fee Increases

This conference notes that: On the 15th of September 2023, the House of Commons published a research briefing which explains that visas and related fees have risen significantly above inflation and above processing costs. Then, on the 18th of September, the Home Office officially announced 15-35% rises to visa fees, which took effect on the […]

Trans equality is UNISON business

Conference recalls the “trans equality – louder and prouder” motion that was adopted by the 2022 women’s conference, which acknowledged the toxic debate ignited by the United Kingdom (UK) government’s consultation on reforming the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) and recognised the need for our union, including the national women’s committee, to become more visible and […]

Year of LGBT+ workers – Let’s embed LGBT+ equality in our union

Conference celebrates that we are at the beginning of UNISON’s the Year of LGBT+ Workers and welcomes the opportunity that this provides to promote UNISON as the union for LGBT+ workers, raise awareness of LGBT+ rights, challenge discrimination, and recruit and activate LGBT+ members. The year highlights the important contribution our LGBT+ members make to […]

Freedom of Speech is not an excuse for Hate Speech

Conference notes that the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 is seen as a tool to ‘safeguard’ free speech and academic freedom in universities. It places a responsibility on Higher Education Providers and Students’ Unions to actively promote freedom of speech, including making venues available to groups or speakers regardless of beliefs. This effectively […]

Hormone/ Menopause Policy For Higher Education

Approximately 3.5 million women, trans and non-binary people across the UK workforce are going through the menopause. A House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee report published in October 2022 states that “51% of the population will experience menopause” and that “women of menopausal age are the fastest growing group in the workforce who are […]

Workplace Sexual Harrassment

Workplace Sexual Harassment Numerous surveys run over the course of the pandemic have demonstrated an increase in workplace sexual harassment, with most experiences being online. Homeworking has left women workers unsafe and unprotected from sexual harassment at work. Current protections are clearly not enough. Women have experienced harassment on various online platforms and felt unable […]

Domestic abuse access for all

Domestic Abuse ‘Access for all’ This Women’s Conference is appalled that two women are killed each week from Domestic Abuse and many women and children are stuck in abusive situations due to the fact that they cannot access a refuge space. The reduction in refuge provision for women and children throughout the UK is not […]

Menopause let’s get it on every agenda

Menopause let’s get it on every agenda The menopause is part of the natural ageing process for most women. Commonly known as ‘the change’, it refers to the point in time when menstruation has ceased for twelve consecutive months and a person has reached the end of their reproductive life. It is important to note […]

Menopause and Women’s Uniforms

Employers are using COVID as an excuse to avoid addressing the menopause. UNISON and the TUC have made great strides in breaking down the menopause stigma, however, we feel that this work has now been majorly overshadowed by COVID-19 and employers are once again disregarding the impact the menopause can have on Women, their partners […]