Conference notes that European Union law provides protection against sexual orientation discrimination – as well as age, disability, religion and belief – in the area of employment, but that there is currently no such protection in EU law against discrimination on these grounds in areas such as social protection, goods and services, health care and […]
Conference motions
Conference affirms that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality is an integral part of the organising and bargaining work of the union. Conference considers that UNISON’s Equality Scheme is a significant opportunity to achieve this. The purpose of the Equality Scheme is to make sure that equality is promoted and discrimination challenged in everything […]
Conference is aware that some employers encourage their employees to donate blood by allowing the National Blood Service (NBS) to run donor sessions in the workplace. Conference notes that for people who may be unable to donate due to current donor selection criteria (including many gay and bisexual men, as well as people with medical […]
Conference welcomes the new UNISON Equality Scheme which, in addition to covering the statutory equality streams of gender, gender identity, race, disability, sexual orientation, age and religion/belief, also seeks to ensure equality within the union on the grounds of low pay. Conference acknowledges that although the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) self organised group […]
Conference notes with concern that in the 2008 local elections the British National Party (BNP) made a net gain of 10 seats in England and Wales, bringing their total number of seats to 55. In London the British National Party (BNP) crossed the 5% hurdle needed to get a “party list” seat on the Assembly. […]
Conference notes the human rights abuses perpetrated within the country of origin of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people who make asylum applications in the UK. It also acknowledges the serious failings of the UK Borders and Immigration Agency to appropriately process and investigate such applications. Conference believes that urgent reforms need to be […]
Conference recognises the work of the National Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Committee regarding bisexual members within the union and striving for inclusion and active participation of this group with activities such as Bisexual caucuses and network meetings. Conference is saddened to note however that bisexual members are still reluctant to participate for fear […]
Conference is concerned that there remains inequality in the provision of goods, facilities and services to Transgender members especially in the case of medical treatment. Looking at Wales as an example, last year, this conference heard how the Health Commission Wales (HCW), a body of the Welsh Assembly set up to fund specialist services in […]
This conference welcomes the recent formation of a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Self-Organised Group (SOG) in the Highland Branch. This is an area of Scotland where there are few facilities for LGBT people. The land mass of the Highland branch is the same size as Belgium, with many small rural communities, where LGBT […]
This Conference requests the National Disabled Members Committee to liaise with the Conference department to ensure that hotels are asked to comply with their DDA Goods, services, and facilities duties and provide an access audit at no cost to the union. We further request that audited conference venues and recommended hotels are circulated with the […]
Typetalk is a requirement for many of our deaf/hearing impaired and speech impaired members, as it gives them the opportunity to have more indepth and professional phone discussions with colleagues that texting on mobile phones does not. Typetalk is a service operated by RNID through a BT landline involving a Minicom user, a standard phone […]
Transport by taxi is a lifeline to many of our members who require the convenience and necessity of this form of getting from A to B. However, on numerous occasions this aspect of travel is marred by the attitude and behaviour of the driver particularly where drivers refuse to allow working dogs to accompany disabled […]
In recent years disabled people have benefited from changes in law, which has meant – in some instances – that employment has been easier to obtain and maintain, because of the requirement to make reasonable adjustments. However, we are concerned that due to a lack of appropriate training information and support, the Disability Discrimination Act, […]
Conference recognises the importance of identifying UNISON’s disabled membership and their access needs in order to facilitate the participation of disabled members in their union. The RMS is the main recording, mapping and organising tool of the Union at all levels. At the present time the information stored on the RMS with regard to disability […]
Part M of Schedule 1 of The Building Regulations 1991 as amended by the Building Regulations (Amendment) Regulation 1998 deals with access and facilities for disabled people. Conference notes that Section M is limited to: a)Reasonable provision for disabled people to gain access to and to use the building b)Reasonable provision of sanitary facilities in […]