Supporting the Work of ILGA and Developing UNISON’s International LGBT Work

This Conference acknowledges the campaign contribution of ILGA as an expression of international solidarity for LGBT communities across the world and as the only genuinely world wide LGBT affiliation based organisation which has for a number of years been a core focus of our international solidarity work. Conference further recognises that our work with ILGA […]

The Ongoing Campaign Around Blood, Organ and Bone Marrow Donation

Conference notes that Resolution 92, passed at the UNISON National Delegate Conference 2006, called for a review of research that currently means the National Blood Service bans Gay or Bisexual men from donating blood. Conference further notes that the resolution also asks that UNISON has effective input into any National Blood Service review of the […]

Participation and Confidentiality

Conference notes that participation and confidentiality in relation to attendance at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Conference is paramount. Conference is therefore dismayed by the decision to add the Police Staff Service Group Seminar and Conference onto the ‘back’ of our Conference. This decision raises serious concerns of confidentiality in that there is […]

Promoting Branch Self-Organisation

Conference notes with some concern that many UNISON branches in the UK do not appear to have an active Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender self organised group (LGBT SOG). Conference believes that branch-level LGBT SOGs are a key way to ensure visibility of the diverse LGBT agenda within branches, and that they serve as a […]

Conference Attendance and Accountability

Conference notes with increasing concern that Conference business is liable to fall from the agenda if delegates are not on the Conference floor at the appropriate time. Conference should recognise that the funding of attendance is from national, regional and branch level and as such delegates have a responsibility to their branch/region to ensure that […]

Operational Staff Groups

Conference notes that a number of public sector employers are engaged in a process of setting up staff groups, from workers who self-identify within equality and diversity strands. Examples are groups for women, for black and minority workers, for disabled workers and for LGBT workers. These groups can inform and advise the employer on matters […]

Training on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) issues within the Public Sector

Conference notes that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) recognition within family friendly policies is sketchy despite the Sexual Orientation Regulations 2003. Anecdotal evidence strongly suggests that line managers knowledge and interpretation of these policies is often lacking and open to misinterpretation. Conference instructs the National LGBT Committee to: 1.Work in conjunction with the service […]

Are Retired LGBT Members Invisible

This Conference is concerned that when LGBT members retire from the workplace they become invisible and therefore sidelined. Many of them will have been active within the union movement and taken part in major campaigns. The dynamism shown by UNISONS own LGBT section is proof of what its membership is capable of. Many of the […]

LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER MEMBERS – STRONGER TOGETHER

Conference celebrates the formation of UNISON’s new Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Self-Organised Group. Conference congratulates the National LGBT Committee, and all Regional and Branch Activists, on the success of our campaign. Conference applauds the huge effort involved in realising this goal, and thanks all participants for their thorough and professional work and support on […]

TRADES UNION CONGRESS GENERAL COUNCIL

Conference considers it to be a fundamental characteristic of trades unionism that workers choose their own delegates from among themselves and the delegates be accountable to the bodies that elected them. Within UNISON, proportionality, fair representation and self-organisation have developed this characteristic further than in most unions. Conference therefore welcomes how the Trades Union Congress’s […]

LOCAL AUTHORITY IMPLEMENTATION OF CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS

Conference celebrates the fact that the Civil Partnership Act 2004 will be brought into force on 5th December 2005. For the first time same-sex couples will be able to make a formal, legal commitment to each other. Conference, however, takes note of some Local Authorities who, whilst willing to carry out registrar/registry office ceremonies for […]

MONITORING OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY BY EMPLOYERS

Conference welcomes the growing recognition of the need to combat discrimination against LGBT workers and the agreements reached with some employers to integrate work towards LGBT equality into their equality programmes. Conference notes that the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 introduced a requirement on public authorities to monitor workers’ ethnicity, as part of the statutory […]

ADOPTION LAWS

Conference notes the fact that the law on adoption by same sex couples adopting has been changed in England and Wales and congratulates the Scottish Executive on it’s review of adoption law in Scotland and its proposals to allow same sex couples to adopt children and to allow same sex step parent adoption. The proposals […]

AMENDMENT TO STANDING ORDER 2.7

In SO2.7, delete “one lesbian and one gay man” and replace with “at least one of whom shall be a woman”.

AMENDMENT TO STANDING ORDERS

Delete the phrase “Lesbian and Gay” wherever it appears and substitute the phrase “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender”.