Rule D1.10 – Conference Quorum and Procedure

In rule D 1.10.4 delete ‘and/or amendments to Rule’ and insert “and one amendment to Rule” Revised text to read: “A Regional Council, a Self-organised Group, the National Young Members’ Forum and the Retired Members Organisation may each submit a total of two motions and one amendment to Rule.”

Developing our Caucuses – Stronger Together

Conference is proud of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) self organised group’s long legacy of commitment to increasing participation from LGBT members who have traditionally been and continue to be under represented. Conference celebrates our diversity but recognises that many of our members face multiple discrimination. Conference welcomes the growth of self organisation […]

General Social Care Council Register

Conference notes the recently introduced General Social Care Council Register, which includes the town in which a person works and is available via the world wide web to any member of the public. Conference is concerned that this may particularly problematic for Social Care staff who may have worked in service areas where threats of […]

Improving Policy and Practice for LGBT People – Guidance for Local Authorities

Conference congratulates the Scottish Executive on producing the document “Improving Policy and Practice for LGBT People – Guidance for Local Authorities”, which is based on an extensive piece of research carried out by them in 2005. The document contains positive advice to assist councils to assess their progress in developing their policies and practice in […]

Save our Pensions!

Conference condemns the attacks by the Labour Government on the Local Government Pension Scheme. While welcoming the pension rights given to LGBT members in terms of the Civil Partnership Legislation; forcing members to work until age 65, and in breach of contractual agreements will mean financial hardship for members, and will erode many of the […]

Monitoring – Doing it Properly, Getting it Right

Conference notes with concern that many employers are embarking on the monitoring of sexual orientation without adequate consultation with trade unions and relevant staff forums. Conference is further concerned that employers are failing to give adequate thought as to how to preserve the confidentiality and anonymity of replies to such monitoring surveys. Conference believes that, […]

Census 2011

Conference notes that the proposal to include sexual orientation in the data collected by the 2011 Census has been considered by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), receiving support from the Cabinet Office and the Department of Health. The ONS has however indicated that it is not intending to include sexual orientation in the 2011 […]

Beyond Mere Legal Equality – The Campaign for a Charter for Change

Conference notes recent changes to legislation to provide for LGBT equality – notably the recently introduced provisions in goods, facilities and services and the promised Single Equality Act but recognises a number of areas where LGBT people are profoundly disadvantaged by a society where heterosexual norms still prevail and we still deal with a legacy […]

On the Need to Deal with a Legacy of (Continuing) Discriminatory Attitudes

Conference notes the very long and extensive reach of a legacy that pervades the whole of our culture and society, with regard to the treatment of LGBT people. Whilst there has been recent progress, including the removal of discriminatory laws, provision for same sex couples and some public bodies that are ready to be supportive […]

Domestic Violence in the LGBT Community

The media constantly portrays domestic violence as a heterosexual experience. Literature uses male pronouns to describe batterers and female pronouns to describe victims. The terms ‘domestic violence’ and ‘violence against women’ have become interchangeable. As a result, people who interact with victims frequently are unaware of the existence of domestic violence in the LGBT community. […]

Celtic Connections and the LGBT Youth Charter of Rights

Conference notes that another successful ‘Celtic Connections’ training event took place in Glasgow this year, between Scottish and North Irish LGBT members. This training focussed on the theme of multiple identity and multiple discrimination and continued on from the Scottish UNISON LGBT AGM, which had debated issues surrounding older LGBT people. Transgender awareness training was […]

UNISON – European Pride

While over 500,000 people attended the various events and over 50,000 marching for Europride in London last June, events throughout major European cities have not met such an enthusiastic welcome. With reference to the Pride march in Riga Latvia on Saturday, July 22 the meeting at the city council refused permissions for the march to […]

Screening of Blood Donors

Conference congratulates both the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) and the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) on their continuing hard work keeping the United Kingdom with a 24 hour blood supply with the resources that they have at present. Conference calls on the National LGBT Committee to include SNBTS in the review of evidence, […]

Local Authorities and the Repeal of Section 28

In 2003 Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 was repealed. The Act stated that a local authority “shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality” or “promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship”. Although national legislation has […]

Diversity in Survival: Burma

Conference congratulates UNISON for its role in awareness raising about Burma (Myanmar) in particular for its ongoing campaign within the Labour and trade union movement to pressurise international governments to impose investment sanctions on Burma. Burma has been controlled by a military dictatorship for the past 40 years, condemned by the UN and numerous International […]