Support ILGA

Conference notes with dismay the continuing opposition to LGBT Pride demonstrations and marches in many countries. We are saddened in particular by the violence that has been expressed towards LGBT people participating in Pride demonstrations in Russia, Poland, Latvia, Croatia and many other countries. Conference urges all UNISON LGBT groups, branches and regions to affiliate […]

Positively Public

LGBT people have many skills and talents to offer the workplace, something that is not always recognised, even in workplaces that claim to be ‘equalities friendly’. Positively Public is UNISON’s campaign for quality in our public services, and for recognition of the essential role of public service workers in achieving this. Conference welcomes the reinvigoration […]

Service Group Representation on National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) Self Organised Group (SOG) Committees

This Conference is concerned that there is no provision for service groups to be fully represented on national self organised group (SOGs) and vice versa. There is provision regionally for all SOGs to be represented on regional service group committees. This appears to be out of line if this does not extend to national bodies. […]

Policing of Public Sex Environments

Conference is aware following the recent legislative changes in relation to Sexual Orientation Regulations that most major employers are reviewing their policies in this area. Conference welcomes the news that the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) is also reviewing and updating its policies and procedures in relation to the policing of public sex environments, […]

SOGs – “Hands off they are ours and we need them”

This Conference welcomes the campaigning and hard work over the years, which has resulted in increased understanding between the separate self organised groups (SOGs), caucuses and strands within our diverse communities and workforces. Conference further welcomes the various legal changes leading to better protection against discrimination for different groups, and the potential to bring these […]

Promoting Bisexual Equality

Conference welcomes the progress made – with the active involvement of bisexual members – in raising the profile of bisexual issues in UNISON. This has included the establishment of an inclusive LGBT group and the setting up of a bisexual members’ caucus with representation on the National Committee Conference welcomes the progress to date but […]

UNISON’S LGBT EQUALITY TOOLKIT

Conference welcomes the recent revision of UNISON’s bargaining fact sheets on sexual orientation and gender identity, and recognises the value of the organising tools available from the Out in UNISON website, which includes the LGBT campaign guide, and the model statement on sexual orientation and gender identity. Conference recognises that these resources only have any […]

Continuing Our International Work

Conference acknowledges the ongoing oppression faced by LGBT people in many countries of the world for example: 1.Threats, intimidation and abuse at Pride events and the denial of the freedom of assembly; 2.Homosexuality criminalised in many states, with some still using the death penalty; 3.Lack of action against hate crimes. 4.Rape targeted specifically at a […]

A Genuinely Inclusive LGBT Group

Conference celebrates the fact we have now been a LGBT Self Organised Group for over two years. We have faced many challenges relating to how we organise and become a truly inclusive group. We have had much success but there is still more work to do to include, involve and organise transgender and bisexual members […]

Putting Our House in Order

Conference believes that while UNISON has made significant progress towards inclusion of its diverse membership in its structures, organising, negotiations and campaigning, full LGBT inclusion has yet to be achieved and work continues to completely eliminate homophobia, biphobia and transphobia and to promote LGBT equality in everything the union does. Our self organised groups have […]

Gender Identity – A Workplace Issue

Conference welcomes the progress made – with the active involvement of trans members – in raising the profile of trans issues in UNISON. This has included the establishment of an inclusive LGBT group, the setting up of a growing trans caucus with representation on the National Committee and the production of specific organising and bargaining […]

Local Authority Employee Forums

Conference notes the increase and the development of employee forums for BME, disabled, women and LGBT employees. In principle we welcome this development as an additional opportunity for employees who may face discrimination and prejudice in the workplace to gain support from fellow employees and use the forums to raise with respective HR departments, concerns, […]

No Waiting Lists and Gender Reassignment Surgery Funding

Conference is deeply concerned that medical treatment in some areas of the United Kingdom (UK) is at times very difficult to obtain or there is no provision or support on the basis there is no waiting list. This includes areas such as Gender Reassignment Surgery (GRS) and haematology, an area of medicine closely related to […]

Blood Service, Tissue and Organ Donations

Conference notes that Resolution 92 passed at the UNISON National Delegate Conference (NDC) 2006, called for a review of research in the ban by the Blood Services across the United Kingdom (UK), of gay and bisexual men from donating blood. Conference further notes that the resolution also asked that UNISON have an effective input into […]

Human Rights are Fundamental

Conference notes that: 1.A well-defined Human Rights charter defines the basic principles of a fair, democratic and decent society. In that sense the Human Rights Act has had some success in providing a foundation for greater equality in the United Kingdom. 2.These principles often come under attack from many sources, who find it easy to […]