DELIVERING THE GOODS

Conference welcomes the increased level of protection provided by the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 in the areas of employment and training, but notes with concern that the same level of protection does not exist in relation to the provision of goods, facilities and services to LGBT people. Conference notes with regret that the […]

TRADES UNION CONGRESS GENERAL COUNCIL

Conference notes that: 1.Following earlier changes to secure the representation of Black trades unionists, in 2001 the Trades Union Congress (TUC) General Council was further enlarged to include three new sections, H, I and J, each consisting of one seat and representing, respectively, trades unionists with disabilities, Lesbian and Gay trades unionists and trades unionists […]

INCREASING POSITIVE LESBIAN PARTICIPATION WITHIN UNISON LGBT SELF-ORGANISED GROUPS AND THE NATIONAL LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER COMMITTEE

Conference is deeply concerned about the low level of positive Lesbian participation within UNISON and the lack of Lesbian proportionality within the LGBT SOGs and the National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Committee. Some groups of lesbians are particularly under-represented, including black and disabled lesbians. UNISON has over one million women members, research suggests that […]

PROPORTIONALITY AND FAIR REPRESENTATION

Conference, in its awareness of UNISON’s rules on proportionality and fair representation, expresses its dismay and frustration at the continuing under-representation of women in this Self-Organised Group (SOG). Conference therefore welcomes the revised guidance that, where a branch sends two or more delegates, the proportion of women and men in the delegation must reflect their […]

AMENDMENT TO STANDING ORDER 7.1

In Standing Order 7.1: After ‘delegates to Conference’: Replace the comma with a full stop; and, Delete ‘or who are members’ and substitute ‘Members’; and, After ‘Lesbian’: Put a comma; and, Delete ‘and Gay Committee. Members’ and substitute ‘Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Committee and’.

WORKFORCE MONITORING

Conference notes with extreme concern the increasing push from employers to undertake workforce monitoring in relation to sexual orientation. This monitoring by some employers is ‘outing’ staff as this is not an anonymous process. It would appear the reason behind this is to obtain figures on how many LGBT employees they have; we would seriously […]

ACCESS TO IN VITRO FERTILISATION (IVF)

Conference notes that the Government is reviewing the provisions of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act [HFEA] and that the general public has been invited to respond to a consultation which ends on the 25th November 2005. Conference notes that our families are being recognised under the auspices of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 [CPA] […]

WORKING TO STOP HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES WORLDWIDE

Conference condemns the actions of countries all over the world, including in Iran, where 2 gay men were recently hanged for being gay, and in Saudi Arabia where, in March 2005, 35 men were publicly flogged for attending a ‘gay wedding’, as well as the Ugandan government for criminalizing gay marriage, and Colombia, where “individuals […]

THE WORKERS UNITED WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED

Conference welcomes the growth in awareness of the international dimension in LGBT trade union work. In particular we note: 1.An increase in regional group affiliations to the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) and active participation by regional groups in ILGA’s work; 2.The profile of international issues at this year’s TUC LGBT conference, including the […]

CRADLEY HEATH WORKERS’ INSTITUTE

Conference notes that: 1.Early last century the National Federation of Women Workers (NFWW) was at the forefront of a campaign to abolish sweated labour; in 1909 the Trade Board Act fixed wages in some sweated trades, including chain making; 2.The employers at Cradley Heath in the Black Country exploited a loophole in the law; they […]

PRIDE EVENTS

This Conference welcomes the decision of the Northern Ireland Parades Commission to allow Belfast Pride to take place, after local opposition to the event. Conference also notes that several Pride events (in Riga, Latvia, Warsaw, Poland and Jerusalem) have met with local opposition and in the end have taken place either after a Court has […]

ORGANISING AGAINST FASCISM

Conference notes with concern that: 1.In the 2005 general election, the British National Party (BNP) received the highest vote ever received by a far right party in a British general election; 2.The total BNP vote more than quadrupled compared to 2001 and the BNP saved a record 34 deposits; 3.Hostility and prejudice towards asylum seekers […]

COUNTERACTING FAITH-BASED ANTI-LGBT AND ANTI-FEMALE ATTITUDES

Conference is painfully aware of the generally negative and sometimes extremely hostile views of the world’s major religions towards Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people, and that when our rights clash with faith-based rights ours seem to be regarded as somehow lesser. Because of: 1.Conflicts between LGBT rights and rights based on faith and […]

CAPACITY BUILDING WITHIN LGBT COMMUNITIES

Conference congratulates all groups actively promoting LGBT visibility and challenging homophobia in the family, in education, on the streets and in the workplace. Conference believes that LGBT projects need to be extended to adequately meet needs both in urban and in rural areas. Workers and volunteers in LGBT projects also need to develop their leadership […]

EQUALITY IN OUR LEISURE – THE MAIL MERGE!

Conference is delighted to acknowledge the success of the request of letters to Chief Executive’s asking them to report on the provision of services within Cultural and Leisure portfolios of local authorities. Conference agrees that the collation of this information allows us to share areas of good practice with other members and activists, which can […]