Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Conference notes that #MeToo has transformed the debate around sexual harassment and has enabled women and men to come forward. with cases being reported in the media more than ever before. Conference acknowledges that anyone at any time can experience sexual harassment, but the statistics demonstrate that the overwhelming majority of victims are women. Conference […]

Menopause and the Workplace

Conference notes that around 3.5 million women aged fifty years and over are currently in employment in the UK. Conference notes further that the employment rate for women in the UK has actually increased in the past few decades and women now represent nearly half of the UK labour force. This means that many more […]

Health and social care provision for older people

Conference recognises that health and social care workers are dedicated and hard working but lowly paid with poor terms and conditions. They do their best to provide quality care but against a background of crisis within health and social care services. Research confirms care for residents in privately run homes for the elderly can be […]

Amendment to S.O.10.1

In Standing Order 10.1 After “report to” delete “members” and substitute: “the relevant Branch or submitting body”, and, after “submission of motions and amendments” add: “to Standing Orders” City of Wolverhampton Islington

Housing Crisis

Conference recognises that high housing costs and affordability are among the biggest issues facing the workforce in the South East and nationally, and affecting where they can live, what they can access and what they can afford. According to the National Housing Federation, there was a shortfall of over 85,000 homes in the South East […]

The Crisis in Social Care

Conference notes with alarm the ongoing crisis in social care and continues to be appalled by the cuts being made to vital social care services. Conference notes that, although social care has been relatively protected compared to other council services, care spending per adult resident has fallen substantially since 2009-10. Conference believes that the sector […]

Celebrate the concessionary bus pass and the bus

A recent report in the Journal of Transport and Health by Dr Sarah Jackson, highlighted important benefits for older people who use a concessionary bus pass: a) Older people who use a concessionary bus pass tend to be more happy and physically active; b) They are also less likely to be socially isolated when they […]

Tackling Stress, Bullying and Harassment

Conference understands the huge scale of harm being caused to members by work-related stress, including wrecked lives and relationships, debilitating mental and physical illness and sometimes, tragically, death. Such misery is often compounded by the insensitive treatment of victims by some employers who, far from acknowledging their own responsibility for causing excessive workplace stress, seek […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Universal Childcare

Childcare still remains a barrier to women in the workforce, with access to provision determined by class and income. Currently, all families are entitled to free childcare for 3-4 yr olds, but families with an income of over 16 hours on minimum wage are eligible for 30 hours of free childcare a week for the […]

Supporting women after stillbirth

Conference is aware that a stillborn baby is one who has died before or during birth and at or after 24 weeks of pregnancy. Unfortunately; this is not a rare tragedy as around 15 babies die before, during or soon after birth every day in the UK. Sadly, this equates to 1 in 225 babies […]