Conference notes that: 1)The Supreme Court decision in Walker v Innospec in July 2017, that upon John Walker’s death his husband should get the same pension as would his widow, relies upon European Union (EU) law and sets aside a provision of the United Kingdom’s Equality Act 2010 that permitted occupational pension schemes to pay […]
Conference motions
Conference notes that: 1)Israel carries on denying Palestinians their rights and refusing to comply with international law. It maintains regimes of settler colonialism, apartheid and occupation over the Palestinian people; 2)This is only possible because of international support for Israel; governments do not hold Israel to account; corporations and institutions all over the world help […]
Conference next year will mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. These events had a profound effect on the advancement of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) rights. They were the catalyst for many movements and groups and also had an influence that led to led to Pride events that commenced a few years […]
Conference notes that modern technology has helped to shrink the world and make communication with those at home and in other countries easier and almost instantaneous. It provides us with opportunities we could never have imagined a few years ago, including in terms of trade union organising. However, it also introduces new and unforeseen risks […]
Conference notes that in June 2016 the United Nation’s (UN) Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights considered the sixth periodic report of the United Kingdom (UK) on the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. It found the UK government’s austerity measures and social security reforms were in breach of […]
Conference welcomes the wealth of policy, good practice, advice and resources that we have built up over the past decades of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organising. These include much policy and good practice in organising, bargaining and campaigning on Black LGBT equality. However, conference notes the continuing challenge of disseminating information and resources, […]
Conference notes that UNISON was founded on the principles of solidarity and equality. These principles are vital for our union and also vital for a strong society where all can thrive. Conference is concerned about the voice and validation given to division and scapegoating in campaigning around the European Union (EU) referendum. The debate paid […]
Conference believes UNISON’s championing of public services and public service values has never been more important. Conservative government austerity cuts have left public services reeling, struggling to meet ever rising demand from services users. Service user needs become greater and more complex as they struggle with financial insecurity due to stagnant or falling wages, redundancy […]
Conference celebrates our union’s rich history of international work and recognises that the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) group has incorporated this into its own work. UNISON continues to raise LGBT issues in the different international forums in which we work and raise trade unionism in all LGBT forums in which we engage. Conference […]
That this Conference will be aware of the tragic deaths in custody last year of trans women being held in male prisons. “Vikki Thompson who was aged 21 at the time of her death was being held at Armley jail, a category B men’s prison, and had told friends she would kill herself, if she […]
Conference notes that of all the main sexual orientation groups, bisexual people are the most invisible and least provided for in terms of dedicated or fully relevant workplace policies or inclusive services. Lack of evidence on bisexual people at work and in using services is both a symptom and a cause of wider bisexual invisibility. […]
Conference notes that momentum for the recognition of human rights and equality for people born with intersex bodies (variations of sex characteristics) has increased greatly over the last 2 years. Whilst this has mainly been positive, there continues to be confusion and misunderstanding of what intersex means and a lack of focus on everyday issues, […]
Conference recognises the importance that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) conference has always placed on recruiting new members – both into the union and as activists into our LGBT structures. LGBT members continue to have an important role in that recruitment work. Conference understands that UNISON’s aim to increase participation of underrepresented groups remains […]
Conference notes that Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom and the Island of Ireland where same sex couples are not able to access civil marriage. This is despite the most recent Assembly vote where the majority of Members of the Legislative Assembly supported it as well as a Mori poll indicating […]
Conference notes that the 53 Commonwealth states comprise a quarter of United Nations member states and a third of humanity. The Commonwealth defines itself as a free and equal association of nations committed to the core principles of democracy, human rights, equality, non-discrimination, opportunity for all, liberty of the individual and human dignity. Yet 40 […]