Conference notes that social work is a profession dominated by women. Social work is a gendered activity, in terms of both its workforce and client group and it is well documented that more women than men enter this area of work (‘Gender at Work: Characteristics of ‘Failing’ Social Work Students’. Sheila Furness. Division of Social […]
Conference motions
No Age Restrictions for Cervical Cancer Screening 10 years ago the age for Cervical Cancer screening rose from 20 to 25 in England followed by Northern Ireland in 2011, Wales in 2013 and Scotland due to rise in 2014. Cervical Cancer screening is available for all women aged between 25 & 65. Government guidelines state […]
I would like this conference to tell the government that every woman should be routinely given accurate information about group B Streptococcus (group B Strep or GBS) during her antenatal care And then be offered a sensitive test for GBS, ideally at 35-37 weeks of pregnancy Group B streptococcus (GBS), also known as group B […]
This conference believes that the Government’s decision to raise the Local Housing Allowance shared accommodation rate to 35 year olds was not subject to equality impact testing. It is well documented that women earn less than men and therefore find it harder to afford private sector rents. With the changes to eligibility for the 1 […]
Conference notes that domestic violence and abuse does not discriminate. It happens among heterosexual couples and in same-sex partnerships. It occurs within all age ranges, ethnic backgrounds, and economic levels. And while women are more commonly victimised, men are also abused. The bottom line is that abusive behaviour is never acceptable. According to Women’s Aid: […]
It is long established that the overwhelming portrayal of women as sex objects in society plays a role in maintaining inequality between women and men. This has been recognised at the international level by the United Nations Convention to Eliminate all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), an internationally, legally binding document ratified by the […]
This conference notes that despite the Health Service apparently being outside the cuts there have been many reductions in hospital services across the country and often these are those that provide specialist services to women. 11 hospitals have already lost maternity services since 2010. The closure of local maternity units will force women to travel […]
According to the British Crime Survey there are approximately 120,000 predominantly vulnerable female victims of stalking each year; however less than half of these cases are recorded as crimes. Research in 2011 found that stalking is not fully recognised by criminal justice professionals and too often stalking goes unreported. When it is reported there is […]
Conference notes that the UK is suffering from an acute housing crisis, with rents soaring and house building grinding to a halt as a direct result of the recession, whilst the number of new households is increasing faster than the number of new builds. Against a background of mounting debt across the country, huge numbers […]
Conference notes with concern the growing existence of pay day loan companies, particularly targeting the low paid who are struggling financially. Research by the insurance company Aviva found that where a woman is the main breadwinner, families were more than twice as likely to have taken out a payday loan in the last year. Further, […]
This conference notes The cuts across the public services are having a detrimental effect on women lives and the lives of their families. The UK is the sixth richest economy in the world and yet more than one in five people live below the poverty line. Women whether single or in relationships are more likely […]
Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Women’s group welcomes UNISON’s Guide to Influencing the NHS (Stronger Together – A UNISON Guide to influencing the NHS) As women trade unionists, we are used to being involved in workplace negotiations and have an honourable tradition of arguing our case. Getting involved in public sector bodies – for example the […]
In these austere times women often bear the brunt of stretching finances in the home. It is well known that when it comes to prioritising essential things such as food and bills against personal items, food, bills, kids and home always come first, and women’s dignity and health issues go out of the window. One […]
Conference notes that Black women are disproportionately bearing the brunt of this government’s austerity measures. More Black women are being condemned to living in poverty in the midst of these cuts and to a higher rate of unemployment than white women. According to the latest Labour Force Survey statistics, the employment rate of Black women […]
Conference congratulates the local government service group on the work they are doing to improve working conditions for home care workers, and the production of the Ethical Care Charter. The issues facing these workers are well recognised – low pay, unpaid hours, unpaid travel time, unpaid sickness absence, unrealistic mileage rates, short client visits etc. […]