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 […]

Making our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) group fully inclusive

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Self-Organised Group (SOG) has always sought to be fully representative of its diverse membership, in line with UNISON’s rules. Over our 25-year history, our understanding of our membership has developed and changed, along with the wider LGBT community. We work with inclusive, umbrella definitions of bisexual and transgender. […]

25 years of self-organisation

In 2018, we celebrate the 25th anniversary of UNISON and of self-organisation in UNISON Equality is central to UNISON’s aims and objectives. UNISON is committed to achieving equality in our workplaces, in our union and across society. Equality is a high priority in our union’s negotiating and campaigning work. Self-organised groups (SOGs) work in partnership […]

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 […]

Recruitment and Organising and Activism, Pride in our Work

Conference notes that as part of Northern Region’s commitment to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) organising, recruitment and activism, on the 17th of May 2018 Northern Region was lit up with the colours of the Rainbow to commemorate IDAHOBIT (The International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia). This wouldn’t have been possible had it […]

Raising Bi Visibility and supporting Bi Pride

Conference can celebrate how far we’ve come as a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community, but sometimes in the bi community it can feel as if we’re slipping into obscurity again, and again. Conference recognises that coming out can be wonderful, sometimes mundane, often traumatic. What would happen if you had to come out […]

Racism within the Bi community

We in the bi caucus have become aware of racism within our own bi community spaces. Stonewall have released research which shows the scale of racism that exists within the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in Britain. Just over half of all Black, Asian and minority ethnic LGBT people (51%) report experiencing discrimination […]

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 […]

How to be a good ally to Bi People at Work

Conference applauds the work that was done by UNISON in developing the ‘How to be a good trans ally’ document, produced last year. The feedback on this document has been extremely positive and has showcased UNISON’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, supporting all of its members. Conference is aware that for many within the trans […]

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 […]

County Lines – impact on children, young people and families

County lines, or ‘going country’, is a national issue involving the use of mobile phone ‘lines’ by groups to extend their drug dealing business into new locations outside of their home areas. This generally involves a group from an urban area expanding their operations by crossing one or more police force boundaries to more rural […]

Pride in London

At the Pride Parade held in London, on Saturday 7th July 2018, a transphobic protest took place at the front of the march and stole the limelight from Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, and NHS workers. The ‘hi-jack’ of the front of parade was carried out by ten lesbians who held a banner that […]

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 […]