LGBT Mental Health Workplace Initiatives

Conference notes that there have been some staff wellbeing initiatives by employers in the Energy service group related to mental health support, these are not consistent and there is still further to go for employee wellbeing. Conference recognises that at least one in four of us will experience mental health problems at some time in […]

UNISON Activists and Mental Health

Conference is concerned to note that increasingly both branch activists and lay officials are finding themselves suffering extreme stress and anxiety when dealing with the levels of case load that they are presented with. In some cases representatives in Energy have been placed under extreme personal pressure by employers. Conference notes that these pressures on […]

Just Transition

Conference notes that ambitious targets for moving to a low carbon industry are essential in the context of climate change and our country’s commitments to the Paris agreement. Taking responsibility to limit temperature increases and avoid catastrophic global warming will require significant transformations across our economy and industry. Conference believes that Just Transition must take […]

Recruitment in Outsourced Employers

Conference is concerned at the rapid and consistent drop in membership numbers being experienced in some branches. Conference believes that this is in part due to frequent voluntary severance exercises and people not being replaced when they retire. However, it must be noted that much of this is due to the fact that many Energy […]

Negotiating disability leave policies with Energy employers

Disability leave is time off from work for a reason related to someone’s disability. It is an example of a reasonable adjustment which Energy employers have a duty to provide to disabled staff under the Equality Act 2010. It is different to sick leave – in many cases the worker is not actually sick – […]

Unlocking the potential of Hydrogen

This energy conference welcomes the work UNISON is doing to promote the potential of Hydrogen in the energy system. This includes helping to get the all-party parliamentary group for hydrogen set up, engaging with key stakeholders and informing members of the key issues. We recognise that while it is imperative that we meet and surpass […]

Sectoral Pay Bargaining in the Energy Sector

Conference notes that energy workers are employed by many different private sector companies as a result of privatisation and fragmentation in the industry. While privatisation has been good for senior executives and managers who have benefited from the industry profits generated, the same cannot be said for the majority of the workforce. The gap between […]

BEWARE THAT SHARE!

Conference recognises the benefits of using social media to bring together communities and groups who have interests in common and congratulates our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender plus (LGBT+) self-organised group on the many and varied ways social media has been used in branches, regions and nationally. We welcome and encourage our members to share […]

NO OUTSIDERS (LGBT+ EDUCATION RIGHTS)

Conference notes the recent protests against the ‘No Outsiders’ method of teaching young children about equality, in particular lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender plus (LGBT+) relationships, to encourage acceptance at an early age. There has been a misuse of religion as an excuse to attack LGBT+ rights, and this is not the first time religious […]

Composite Amendment 7

In first paragraph, delete all after “(LGBT+) people,” in second sentence and insert “disabled people, women, and Black people, to consider apprenticeships. Potential members of the network have to demonstrate their commitment to make measurable improvements to diversity.” Insert new third paragraph: “Conference notes the disability employment gap is nearly 30%. There is limited research […]

Free Childcare for working women to enable TRUE development of equality within the workplace

For many women equality at work is often the key issues in their lives and whilst they make good headway in a chosen career or education path this can come sliding to a halt once they have children. As Conference is aware it remains the case that for women the main responsibility for the primary […]

SECURING REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

Conference notes with serious concern that following the result of the referendum in Ireland to repeal the 8th Amendment of the Irish Constitution, Northern Ireland will become the only jurisdiction in these islands to persist with restrictive abortion laws that breach human rights. Conference believes that the time has come for Parliament to take clear […]

Protecting, extending and enforcing disabled women’s rights

Conference notes that the last Labour government introduced the Equality Act 2010 in order to protect specific groups, including disabled women, from direct and indirect discrimination and from harassment and victimisation. The Act also gives disabled women the right to reasonable adjustments and protects them from discrimination arising from their disability, protections which apply to […]

Misogyny and domestic abuse experienced by disabled women

Conference notes that, as the #MeToo movement demonstrates, misogyny is widespread in our society. However for disabled women there are particular challenges. Disabled women are more likely to be subjected to sexual assault, harassment and domestic abuse than non-disabled women. When they seek help they are often failed by inaccessible services that are not tailored […]

Support for women’s self organisation; lost voices

Conference believes that the strength and sustainability of all unions depend on the development of their activists. With 1 million women members, we also know that achieving equal rights for women is a long battle and whilst there have been gains over the last 25 years, women’s rights have never been more under attack than […]