Divorcing Transgender Parents and Legal Access to Children

Conference notes that it was only a few decades ago that Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual (LGB) men and women were deemed inappropriate and unfit parents. When divorcing from their opposite sex spouse, many were refused custody of their children simply because of their sexual orientation. Direct discrimination by care professionals, such as social workers and […]

Defending Our Human Rights

Conference notes that the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) self organised group has long been a defender of the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA), recognising its importance in making LGBT human rights real. This is particularly with regard to our rights to family life, freedom of association, freedom of expression and protection from discrimination. […]

Equality and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community

We have seen over the life of the current United Kingdom Government, many cynical attempts to inveigle themselves with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Community, but from a public relations man that lacks substance but deals in dogma alone, nobody should be fooled. The reality of the situation is that many LGBT equality […]

Defending Services For Young Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People

This Conference is appalled by the rising number of services for young people which are either closing or being cut back at a time when they are needed more than ever to support young people in finding employment and to support them in their personal development. This Conference believes that young people are being targeted […]

Police Cuts Will Undermine The Fight Against Hate Crime

YouGov research has shown that one in five lesbian, gay and bisexual people have experienced a homophobic hate crime or incident in the last three years. And three in four of those didn’t report them to the police. A third of victims don’t report incidents because they don’t think the police would or could do […]

Joined Up Equalities Information

UNISON has an excellent record in supporting Self Organised Groups (SOGs). This can not only be a good way of encouraging people from under-represented groups from joining and becoming active in the union. One of the many ways that UNISON reaches out to publicise the benefits in our union is to attend festivals such as […]

Tackling Trans Workers’ Unemployment

Conference is dismayed at the continuing difficulty faced by many trans people in finding and keeping paid employment. Conference notes that while it is not easy to challenge discrimination while you are in a job, it is even more difficult to challenge discrimination in recruitment. High levels of unemployment amongst trans people are rising higher […]

Encouraging Bi Equality Training in Workplaces

As biphobia is still rife in most workplaces, Conference calls on the National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Committee, in liaison with the Bisexual Members’ Caucus, to develop UNISON’s materials on tackling biphobia, promoting bi equality and the need for bi awareness training in workplaces. Conference further calls on branch and regional LGBT groups […]

Still Fighting For Equality

Conference welcomes the introduction of the Equality Act 2010 under the Labour government but notes with heavy heart that the specific public sector equality duties were delayed and reviewed by the conservative-led coalition government. Conference notes that there is unlikely to be any further legislative gains under this government. Conference notes that – for now […]

The Mental Capacity Act and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People

Conference welcomes the recent Personalisation in Social Care documentation released earlier this year, which describes the personalisation of care packages for those who require them. Personalisation considers the individual and puts them at the centre of the process of making important choices about their care and how they can be effectively supported. The Social Care […]

Stopping Public Sector Pension Hacking

Conference believes that this government needs to learn to have some respect for hardworking public sector workers and we know a thing or two about respect. The quick fix hacking axe of the coalition government is decimating public services and ruining people’s lives. We will not allow government to hack away our hard earned pensions, […]

Future structure of the Police and Justice Service Group

This Service Group Conference notes the Service Group Executive consultation exercise on the substantive structure of the new Police and Justice Service Group held between February and April 2011. Further to this consultation, Conference agrees the following substantive structures for the Police and Justice Service Group: Police and Justice Service Group Constitution 1 Regional Structures […]

CUTS TO DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICES

Conference is deeply concerned at the cuts to women’s services throughout the country and particularly at recent proposed cuts in Devon. In January one of the major stakeholders, Devon County Council announced that it proposed to withdraw £1.2 million in funding for the Against Domestic Violence Abuse Project (ADVA). The severity and rapidity of these […]

UNIVERSAL CREDIT: WELFARE THAT WORKS

This Conference recognises that some aspects of government’s proposals published in ‘Universal Credit’ (November 2010) to reform the state welfare system are reportedly designed to make it easier for a single assessment of need. Such a system should relieve some of the burdensome pressure of women to make duplicate applications to a number of statutory […]

A MILLION WOMEN MARCH

Conference welcomes the news that the TUC has called a national demonstration for 26 March 2011 and understands that opposition to the austerity measures is gradually building up in the UK with demonstrations having already taken place as well as lobbies of Parliament and protests nationwide following the Con Dem announcement of eighty three billion […]