Ensuring LGBT+ Representation in Apprenticeships

This conference welcomes the commitment of the Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network (ADCN) to take action to widen participation in apprenticeships, champion diversity, and support greater social mobility. The ADCN champions apprenticeships and diversity amongst employers and encourages more people from underrepresented groups, including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Plus (LGBT+) people, people with disabilities, women, […]

The Vatican Educational Paper on Gender Theory – A Confused Concept!

Conference believes that since the repeal of Section 28 in 2003 educators on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Plus (LGBT+) inclusive education in schools have made an essential contribution in the fight for equality rights for the LGBT+ community. However in recent years we have seen a backlash to this from the far right and […]

Sexual Harassment of the LGBT+ Workforce

Conference acknowledges the findings of the recent Trades Unions Congress (TUC) report “Sexual harassment of LGBT people in the workplace, published in May 2019, which details the shockingly high levels of sexual harassment and sexual assault faced by Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) workers. The reports sets out the unheard voices of LGBT workers […]

ENGAGING BRANCHES IN LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER PLUS RECRUITMENT AND ORGANSING

Conference welcomes the successful campaign to seek a rule change to become a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Plus (LGBT+) Self Organised Group at this year’s National Delegate Conference (NDC). This change would not have been possible if it had not been for the work of our activists sharing the reasons for this important change […]

Access to Abortion

Conference notes the tightening of abortion access in states such as Alabama in the United States of America (USA) with despair. Abortion is a health issue and disproportionately affects people in poverty, the working poor and people living in rural areas Despite recent Parliamentary intervention in the absence of a Stormont Assembly, access within the […]

Inclusive Language

This conference would like to acknowledge and give thanks to the essential work carried out by UNISON on respecting and promoting reproductive rights, tackling period poverty and raising menopausal awareness. However, in many of the motions produced around these issues, we continue to see a use of exclusionary language. Motions often make reference to “women […]

Bi Young Members

In UNISON’s year of the young worker, conference notes that our recent name change to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender plus (LGBT+) is a progressive step towards further inclusion. It was our young members who suggested the name change and this was whole heartedly supported by the work of our National LGBT+ committee. Our young […]

GENDER RECOGNITION ACT REFORM – A LACK OF PROGRESS.

Conference notes that the consultation by the Westminster government on reform of the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) 2004 closed on the 19th October 2018. Since the closure of the consultation, there has been little sign of specific proposals to reform the GRA. Conference further notes that in the LGBT Action Plan: Annual progress report 2018 […]

Back to Basics – The Decline of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans + Rights

Conference notes that research undertaken by The Guardian newspaper this year highlighted that homophobic and transphobic hate crimes in England and Wales have more than doubled over the past five years, with Police recording 11,600 crimes in the most recent year of data. Of concern, almost half (46%) of the crimes from 2017-2018 were violent […]

Domestic Abuse in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans + Relationships

Conference notes that there is a postcode lottery of services that support victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans + (LGBT+) relationships. For example, in Blackpool, the local Probation Service only has access to programmes that are aimed at heterosexual male offenders, whereas in Manchester, the local Probation Service has […]

PUTTING POLITICS BACK IN PRIDE AND WIDER LGBT+ COMMUNITY

Conference notes the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender plus (LGBT+) legislation during the last Labour Government years strengthened our protections and way of life. Within the last decade we have seen further legislation come forward which, whilst has been intended to improve the lives of LGBT+ people, in a lot of respects, we continue to […]

Including Retired Members more effectively at Self-Organised Group Conferences

Conference notes that: 1)In 2014, UNISON amended its rules to allow the retired members’ organisation to send two representatives of relevant retired members to each self-organised group (SOG) conference; 2) For the first five years, the retired members’ national committee (NRMC) picked these representatives but from this year self-nominations will be considered and voted on […]

Including More Retired Members more effectively at Self-Organised Group Conferences

Conference notes that: 1)In 2014, UNISON amended its rules to allow the retired members’ organisation to send two representatives of relevant retired members to each self-organised group (SOG) conference; 2. For the first five years, the retired members’ national committee (NRMC) picked these representatives but from this year self-nominations will be considered and voted on […]

DECRIMINALISATION FOR SAFETY

Conference notes that UNISON’s policy on sex work, adopted in 2010 on the basis of a motion from women’s conference, is to support proposals which decriminalise the selling of sex acts while introducing a ‘sex buyers law’ criminalising those who purchase sex acts. Conference recognises that the great majority of sex workers are women. Conference […]

UNISON Rule Book Benefits – Ex-Members of NUPE in Same-Sex Relationships – Death of Spouse Benefit

Conference notes that: 1)Rule L4 provides that: “Members … on Vesting Day (1st July 1993) … retain entitlement to any financial benefits of their former union … providing they continue to remain in membership of UNISON”; and, 2. The Guide to UNISON Rule Book Benefits appears no longer to be available but an edition based […]