Violence Against Disabled Women and Domestic Abuse

Conference notes recent advice from the Metropolitan Police force that women should “run away” if they feel unsafe in the presence of a lone police officer in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard in March 2020. Not only is this advice discriminatory towards disabled women, but it also fails to address the root […]

Mentoring and Developing Grassroots Women of Unison

Unison is committed to proportionality for women but the reality is that in many branches this does not happen. By the time women have done their jobs, looked after the children and their homes, checked on their elderly parents and helped with homework, there is little time to sit and map out what they need […]

NEVER FORGET TO LIFT AS YOU RISE

Our Women Members are our greatest asset Conference welcomes the election of Christina McAnea as the first woman General Secretary of a major trade union. Representing more than a million women working across the range of public services, UNISON with its commitment to lay democracy and proportionality and fair representation enshrined within our rule book […]

Proportionality within UNISON

UNISON rules and guidance provides for the principles of proportionality and fair representation to be observed in UNISON elections and delegations. The UNISON rule book defines proportionality as the representation of women and men in fair proportion to the relevant number of female and male members comprising the electorate (2.14.2) The UNISON rule book defines […]

Sexual harassment – more work to do

Conference welcomes the announcement by the UK government in July 2021 that it will introduce a new duty on employers to protect all their staff from sexual harassment at work and protections for workers harassed by clients or customers as well as colleagues. This announcement came as part of the government’s published response to the […]

Robust Green Skills Training for employees in the Energy Sector

Conference notes addressing the climate change challenge requires a fundamental restructuring of the energy supply sector, moving away from the world�s fossil fuel-based system to one that relies on clean, renewable sources. The transition to a greener economy requires new skills. Skills needed for the newly emerging jobs, and skills needed for the adjusted existing […]

MENOPAUSE

Roughly half of UK workers are women, all of whom will experience the menopause in some form. Conference notes that the definition of menopause is a lack of menstruation for one full year. It usually begins between the ages of 45 and 55 but it can develop before or after this age range.In the UK, […]

Inclusive Workplace Policies for Non-Binary Members in the Community Sector

Conference notes the motion passed at last year�s Community Conference on Inclusive Workplace Policies in the Community Sector which called on the community service group executive to: 1. Gather good practice examples from branches organising in the community sector of inclusive policies and practices, including in record-keeping, language, any dress codes and in the provision […]

ENGAGING BRANCHES IN THE COMMUNITY SECTOR IN LGBT+ RECRUITMENT AND ORGANISING

Conference notes that at National Delegate Conference 2019 delegates unanimously agreed to change UNISON�s rule book so that the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) self organised group is now the LGBT+ self organised group. Conference recalls that the community conference unanimously passed policy last year supporting the group becoming LGBT+ and that many branches […]

Inclusive Workplace Policies for Non-Binary Members in the Community Sector

Conference notes the motion passed at last year�s Community Conference on Inclusive Workplace Policies in the Community Sector which called on the community service group executive to: 1. Gather good practice examples from branches organising in the community sector of inclusive policies and practices, including in record-keeping, language, any dress codes and in the provision […]

Supporting People

Supporting People Conference the time has come to recognise the specialist work being carried out by UNISON frontline workers employed through the Supporting People Programme and back those UNISON members in their call for an independent review into the Supporting People Programme. UNISON members working in Supporting People funded programmes continue to deliver vital services […]

Right to buy and shared ownership in Housing Associations in England

Conference notes that In October 2019 the then Secretary of State for Housing, Robert Jenrick MP issued a press statement stating that the government wished to work with housing associations on a voluntary basis in regard to introducing shared ownership right to buy. The press release stated: �For those tenants in new stock, there will […]

Health and Safety representation

Conference notes that nationally the number of UNISON Health and Safety representatives in the workplace is diminishing. This continues to be of particular concern to the Community Service Group where, out of a collective membership of almost 75,000 members, less than 250 across all our nations/regions are accredited Health & Safety Representatives. Our workplaces are […]

Community services for women � a lifeline removed

Conference notes that support services for women are under ever increasing threat from funding cuts with many organisations reducing services, losing staff or closing altogether. The community and voluntary (C&V) sector provides a range of services to women, children and families in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the UK. The services are wide […]

Branch Women’s Officer Role

Conference note that following a rule change passed at National Delegates Conference 2018, Rule G 4.1.1 states that a Women�s Officer shall be one of the general officers of the branch. It is unknown how many branches are adhering to this new rule change, therefore, conference calls on the National Women�s Committee to:1)Undertake a survey […]