ACCESS TO IN VITRO FERTILISATION (IVF)

Conference notes that the Government is reviewing the provisions of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act [HFEA] and that the general public has been invited to respond to a consultation which ends on the 25th November 2005. Conference notes that our families are being recognised under the auspices of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 [CPA] […]

WORKING TO STOP HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES WORLDWIDE

Conference condemns the actions of countries all over the world, including in Iran, where 2 gay men were recently hanged for being gay, and in Saudi Arabia where, in March 2005, 35 men were publicly flogged for attending a ‘gay wedding’, as well as the Ugandan government for criminalizing gay marriage, and Colombia, where “individuals […]

THE WORKERS UNITED WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED

Conference welcomes the growth in awareness of the international dimension in LGBT trade union work. In particular we note: 1.An increase in regional group affiliations to the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) and active participation by regional groups in ILGA’s work; 2.The profile of international issues at this year’s TUC LGBT conference, including the […]

CRADLEY HEATH WORKERS’ INSTITUTE

Conference notes that: 1.Early last century the National Federation of Women Workers (NFWW) was at the forefront of a campaign to abolish sweated labour; in 1909 the Trade Board Act fixed wages in some sweated trades, including chain making; 2.The employers at Cradley Heath in the Black Country exploited a loophole in the law; they […]

PRIDE EVENTS

This Conference welcomes the decision of the Northern Ireland Parades Commission to allow Belfast Pride to take place, after local opposition to the event. Conference also notes that several Pride events (in Riga, Latvia, Warsaw, Poland and Jerusalem) have met with local opposition and in the end have taken place either after a Court has […]

ORGANISING AGAINST FASCISM

Conference notes with concern that: 1.In the 2005 general election, the British National Party (BNP) received the highest vote ever received by a far right party in a British general election; 2.The total BNP vote more than quadrupled compared to 2001 and the BNP saved a record 34 deposits; 3.Hostility and prejudice towards asylum seekers […]

COUNTERACTING FAITH-BASED ANTI-LGBT AND ANTI-FEMALE ATTITUDES

Conference is painfully aware of the generally negative and sometimes extremely hostile views of the world’s major religions towards Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people, and that when our rights clash with faith-based rights ours seem to be regarded as somehow lesser. Because of: 1.Conflicts between LGBT rights and rights based on faith and […]

CAPACITY BUILDING WITHIN LGBT COMMUNITIES

Conference congratulates all groups actively promoting LGBT visibility and challenging homophobia in the family, in education, on the streets and in the workplace. Conference believes that LGBT projects need to be extended to adequately meet needs both in urban and in rural areas. Workers and volunteers in LGBT projects also need to develop their leadership […]

EQUALITY IN OUR LEISURE – THE MAIL MERGE!

Conference is delighted to acknowledge the success of the request of letters to Chief Executive’s asking them to report on the provision of services within Cultural and Leisure portfolios of local authorities. Conference agrees that the collation of this information allows us to share areas of good practice with other members and activists, which can […]

ACT FOR EQUALITY – STAMP OUT HOMOPHOBIA

This Conference believes: 1.That after 8 years in power, the current Government has equalised the law for LGBT people in a number of areas including the new protection against homophobia at work, but has failed to deliver full legal equality for LGBT people; 2.This continuing inequality includes new partnership rights that fall short of full […]

EQUALITY AND INCLUSION – A PUBLIC SERVICES AGENDA FOR LESBIANS AND GAY MEN

Conference recognises that the UNISON publication “Equality and Inclusion: a public services agenda for Lesbians and Gay men” was an excellent publication for promoting our agenda and UNISON. This document was produced in 2001 and we have witnessed much legislative change over the past few years in the UK forum and also the devolved parliaments. […]

NEW UNISON LGBT LOGO

Conference notes that since becoming a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender group in June 2005 we no longer have a logo to represent the group. Conference therefore instructs the National LGBT Committee to work with UNISON’s Communications Department to design a new logo appropriate to the needs of our new, wider group.

RETAINING OLDER MEMBERS AND ACTIVISTS

Conference notes that the proportion of delegates at UNISON Lesbian and Gay Conferences aged 50 and over was about 10% whereas about 30% of UNISON members are in this age group. Moreover, this showed little change from year to year and was reflected in membership of the National lesbian and gay Committee and, as far […]

SAFE SPACE AND WOMEN’S SOCIAL EVENTS

Conference recognises that space is not made safe merely by declaring it so. Women disproportionately suffer inequality in our society and this has an impact on their self-confidence, on their ability to act as their own agents and on their perceptions of security. Because of such factors, women who attend conference experience the ‘space’ of […]

POLICE STAFF – A PART OR APART?

Conference welcomes the recent UNISON advert in ‘Diva’ magazine – July 2005 issue and would further welcome adverts in other such publications. Conference notes with concern the omission of Police Staff within the list of service groups in which UNISON organise. Conference further notes that Police Staff are the fastest growing service group within UNISON […]