The State of girls’ rights in the UK

This conference notes the recent outcomes of research conducted by Plan UK into the state of girl’s rights in the UK. This research identified that despite being the 5th richest country in the world the UK is failing to meet the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in turn is failing girls in this […]

Bus Services in Crisis

Conference is concerned at the continuation of Britain’s bus services being depleted and congratulates Unison for supporting Campaign for Better Transport in their campaigning efforts to improve Britain’s public transport services and applauds the support from the General Political Fund for research into this subject. Buses are the most flexible form of public transport – […]

Driver only trains deny accessible support for disabled women

Conference picture this, a female wheelchair user gets on a train at a station and has assistance to enter the train. Platform staff get the ramps and the woman disabled customer is helped onto the train. The train has only a driver and no conductor. Then when getting to the station to get off the […]

The Trade Union Act and the government’s austerity cuts and their impact on disabled women

Conference notes that in June 2016 the United Nations (UN) Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights found that the UK government’s austerity measures and social security reforms were in breach of its obligations to human rights. The report amongst other issues cites: an increase in the use of food banks, rising unemployment rates, the […]

Abortion Rights 50 Years Since the 1967 Act

Conference notes that the 1967 Abortion Act will be 50 years old in 2017. Prior to 1967 around 100,000 illegal abortions were carried out each year in Britain and it is estimated that 35.000 women were hospitalised each year due to botched back street abortions. No one really knows how many women actually died but […]

The Wage Penalty of Motherhood

In August 2016 a report publishes by the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation showed how the Gender Pay Gap is growing year on year after childbirth. Many Women are forced to leave better paid jobs due to the pressure of caring responsibilities and the lack of flexible working. Without more well […]

Modern Slavery – Closer Than You Think

There is no one face of modern slavery. Victims are mostly women, and children of all ages, and cut across populations, but it is normally more prevalent among minorities and excluded groups. Many women in modern slavery are brought to the UK, but latest figures show that UK nationals are also being targeted. Vulnerable young […]

Closing the Gender Pay Gap

Conference notes that according to the “New Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff (JNCHES): Higher Education gender pay gap data” report which was published in September 2016, the gender pay gap in Higher Education has narrowed. However, it is disappointing to note that despite the Equal Pay Act being enacted over 40 years ago […]

International Day of the Girl Child

Conference notes that in 2011, as the result of youth advocacy around the world, the United Nations declared October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child. Its mission is “to help galvanize worldwide enthusiasm for goals to better girls’ lives, providing an opportunity for them to show leadership and reach their full potential.” […]

Lack of Black women participation in UNISON

More than 70% of UNISON members are women and UNISON is committed to fair representation and proportionality (Rule D1.4). However, in the public sector where many of our members are Black women, we see very few Black women represented at branch, regional and national level; despite statistics telling us that Black people are amongst those […]

Equal pay and Black Women

Conference as we all know the pay gap between men and women is widening, but it will come as no surprise that the pay gap for Black women is even greater. 37.6% of Black workers are in occupations which are traditionally low paid and dominated by women – cleaning, care work and catering, compared to […]

Sexual harassment is rife at work

According to figures published by the TUC, 52 per cent of all women and nearly two thirds of women between the ages of 18 and 24 have experienced sexual harassment at work. The study, “Still just a bit of banter?”, which was carried out in conjunction with the Everyday Sexism Project, also found that: • […]

Dress Code Inquiry

This conference is pleased to know that the House of Commons is holding an inquiry into high heels and workplace dress codes, following a petition asking for the law to be changed attracted almost 150,000 signatures. MPs on the Petitions and Women and Equalities Committees have already heard evidence from the person who started the […]

Young women must not suffer under Brexit

This Conference believes that the impact of Britain leaving the European Union has the potential to be extremely damaging for workers, and public service workers in particular. This conference also believes that young women will be amongst those hardest hit as the scramble to establish trade deals will not only see an attack on crucial […]

Abortion rights in Northern Ireland

This Conference notes that women in Northern Ireland live under some of the most restrictive abortion legislation in Europe. They are denied access to abortion information, advice, and services that are available to women in the rest of the UK. This Conference believes that these barriers to reproductive rights are a class issue and barriers […]