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 […]
Conference motions
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 […]
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 […]
This Conference believes: 1.That after 8 years in power, the current Government has equalised the law for LGBT people in a number of areas including the new protection against homophobia at work, but has failed to deliver full legal equality for LGBT people; 2.This continuing inequality includes new partnership rights that fall short of full […]
Conference recognises that the UNISON publication “Equality and Inclusion: a public services agenda for Lesbians and Gay men” was an excellent publication for promoting our agenda and UNISON. This document was produced in 2001 and we have witnessed much legislative change over the past few years in the UK forum and also the devolved parliaments. […]
Conference notes that since becoming a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender group in June 2005 we no longer have a logo to represent the group. Conference therefore instructs the National LGBT Committee to work with UNISON’s Communications Department to design a new logo appropriate to the needs of our new, wider group.
Conference notes that the proportion of delegates at UNISON Lesbian and Gay Conferences aged 50 and over was about 10% whereas about 30% of UNISON members are in this age group. Moreover, this showed little change from year to year and was reflected in membership of the National lesbian and gay Committee and, as far […]
Conference recognises that space is not made safe merely by declaring it so. Women disproportionately suffer inequality in our society and this has an impact on their self-confidence, on their ability to act as their own agents and on their perceptions of security. Because of such factors, women who attend conference experience the ‘space’ of […]
Conference welcomes the recent UNISON advert in ‘Diva’ magazine – July 2005 issue and would further welcome adverts in other such publications. Conference notes with concern the omission of Police Staff within the list of service groups in which UNISON organise. Conference further notes that Police Staff are the fastest growing service group within UNISON […]
Conference notes that at present self-organised groups (as well as regions, the Young Members’ Forum and Retired Members) are only permitted to submit a total of two motions (including any rule amendments) to National Delegate Conference. Conference also notes that a proposal to increase this to four motions was defeated at National Delegate Conference in […]
Conference notes with extreme concern that some of our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) members are facing hostility and violent discriminatory behaviour from service users and members of the public. Conference is particularly anxious that our members face threats to their personal safety in the line of their duties, and that these issues are […]
Conference welcomes the progress made on the introduction of a single Commission for Equality and Human Rights(CEHR). However Conference is very concerned that there are still no plans to introduce legislation relating to the CEHR’s powers, constitution, terms of reference and details of the various strands and their link to each other. Conference is also […]
Conference is delighted that changes to legislation in April 2005 will impose a new disability equality duty on public bodies and some private companies. We believe these new duties could reconstruct a barrier-free society and provide equality of opportunity for the millions of disabled people who are in work, want to work, and those who […]
Conference warmly welcomes the new disability equality duty that is due to come into force in December 2006, we believe this will provide UNISON with a great new organising tool as well as the opportunity to challenge disability discrimination at work and within public services. It is a strengthened version of the race duty – […]
Conference is outraged that teaching establishments across the United Kingdom are threatening the recognition of British Sign Language (BSL) and the future of deaf people. We call upon the National Disabled Members’ Committee to work with the National Executive Council to continue to campaign for BSL to be recognised in reality by: 1)challenging proposals to […]