Conference notes the significant changes to working patterns and practices that have happened since the pandemic, including a large rise in remote and hybrid working. Conference believes greater flexibility should be welcomed where this works for staff – for example, some disabled workers may find more home working is a useful adjustment, and workers with […]
Conference motions
Conference notes the December 2021 government policy paper ‘Our Vision for the Women’s Health Strategy for England’, published after 100,000 women shared their personal experiences around the way the health and care system listens to women. The document looked at the approach to women’s health by putting women’s voices at the heart of this work. […]
Conference notes with extreme concern the continuing pressures women are facing as the cost-of-living spirals out of control, with the inflation rate hitting 10.1% in July 2022, this was the highest reading since 1982. Conference, Women are more vulnerable to the impact of the cost of living rises as 69% of low paid or insecure […]
Conference notes that in recent statistics published by the Office for National Statistics, in England and Wales rates of suicide amongst women aged 24 and under has seen the largest increase since records began in 1981. Although the reasons for this increase are not clear, conference notes that in an article by Mind, published in […]
Just as UNISON’s women members were getting to grips to working longer due to the increase in pension age (brought in to provide gender equality) we find that a woman’s working career is beset with hidden pitfalls that seem designed to wide gender inequalities and deny us our hard worked for pensions. A recent report […]
Conferences notes the cost of living crisis which will disproportionately impact disabled women. Even before the pandemic, disability related expenses or the ‘disability price tag’ was on average £583 extra per month compared to non-disabled people, according to the 2019 Scope Disability Price Tag report. One in five faced extra costs of more than a […]
Yorkshire & Humberside Regional Women’s Committee believe free, community-based provision of sanitary and incontinence products should be available for all women and girls. A 2022 Action Aid UK Survey, as part of the Menstrual Hygiene Day; showed that in the UK 12% of women are now struggling to purchase sanitary products. They are now using […]
“UNISON has approximately 5,000 Health and Safety representatives across the union working hard to defend members’ health and safety at work. Over the past few years health and safety has emerged again as critical for protecting members’ rights at work. However, the gender balance of Health and Safety representatives in UNISON does not reflect the […]
This conference notes that whilst there is a better awareness and knowledge of menopause and perimenopause generally, some of which has been helped by Unisons comprehensive guidance on the Menopause, we as a union still need to further focus on specifically promoting this within the workplace. Women make up over 70% of Unison membership and […]
Conference we are living in dangerous and difficult times for workers, for our members and specifically our women members. The basic necessities of life – food and heating are increasing at alarming rates. As a majority women members union, we are fighting to prevent pay awards becoming pay cuts. Whilst its true that this will […]
This conference notes that whilst there is often a proactive approach, policies, and systems in place for customers that organizations serve when it comes to tackling domestic abuse and violence there may not be the same levels of provision for staff. It is also recognized that whilst there may be workplace policies in existence; the […]
The Women’s Budget Group (WBG) have in 2022 produced a series of reports clearly highlighting the impact this post pandemic cost of living crisis will have on women. We are in the midst of combined high inflation rates, across the board price increases and significant income deficit for many through historic and ongoing low wage […]
One in 35 women are raped or sexually assaulted every year. You will know at least one woman who has been raped or sexually assaulted in the last 12 months. Whether the person shares this harrowing experience with you is another matter. Sexual violence is linked to shame and humiliation. In support of motion 15 […]
Conference notes that UNISON is the UK’s largest union representing 1.3 million members who provide public services. Currently 78% of the membership identify as women, a total of over 1 million women members. There is no doubt that the strength and stability of our union UNISON lies with our ability to recruit, support, and develop […]
Conference notes that women are disproportionately affected by spiralling living costs. Women are more likely to be in low paid jobs and have been hit hardest by the sharp rise in inflation. Women are usually the ones who manage household budgets especially in lower income households. Women tend to have the main responsibility for buying […]