Conference recognises that an ever-increasing amount of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) agenda is at a European and World level. Significant legislative and policy gains in relation to LGBT equality have been achieved through European structures. Time and again, UNISON members have shown their solidarity with brothers and sisters across the world who […]
Conference motions
Conference welcomes the progress made in raising the profile of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) participation in our union. UNISON has been at the forefront of the equality agenda and we can be proud of our achievements in continuing to support and encourage self organisation at all levels. We would like to encourage representatives […]
The Freedom of Information Act (2000) provides a context within which details of public service expenditure can be made public. The Freedom of Information Act applies to all ‘public authorities’: – this includes 1central and local government; 2the Health Service; 3schools, colleges and universities; 4the Police; 5many other non-departmental public bodies, committees, and advisory bodies. […]
Conference notes that life for many of our members can be difficult. In addition to the challenges of heterosexism, homophobia, bipobia and transphobia, for many LGBT people rural living presents added difficulties including social and geographical isolation, transportation problems, and lack of basic resources, facilities and services. To address the social exclusion and isolation of […]
Conference welcomes the partnership work between the Scottish Transgender Alliance and UNISON which has resulted in the creation of a new Guide for UNISON Reps on Supporting Transgender Members at Work. Conference also welcomes that the UNISON Bargaining Factsheet on Negotiating for Trans Workers’ Rights was updated in May to take account of the new […]
Conference recognises that human rights must be universal, not conditional, and therefore all trans people must have their dignity upheld and their gender identity and privacy respected regardless of their physical anatomy or legal gender. Conference welcomes that the Gender Recognition Act 2004 makes it a criminal offence for someone who acquires information in an […]
Conference notes that trade union membership density in most employers where UNISON has members has been falling in recent years and that less than one in two public sector workers are members of UNISON. Conference recognises that we need to grow in numbers and density to grow in influence with employers and the government and […]
Conference notes that despite some high profile achievements, the participation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in public and political life remains low. Stonewall’s 2008 “Serves you Right” report found that there were no openly gay or lesbian people in the British cabinet, the Scottish cabinet or the Welsh cabinet. There were only […]
Conference welcomes the initiative launched by The Premiership and Football League in trying to rid football from homophobia. Whilst recognising that this is a good starting point, conference believes that more work is needed to ensure the campaign develops in success to the levels achieved by UNISON involvement in campaigns such as ‘Show Racism the […]
Conference welcomes the creation of the EHRC whose job is to provide support to equality and human rights in England, Scotland and Wales, while in Northern Ireland (NI) the NI Equality Commission has existed for some time. Conference welcomes the fact that one of the areas prioritised by the Commission has been to litigate in […]
Conference welcomes the progress made in raising the profile of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) participation in our union. We can be proud of our achievements in continuing to support and encourage self organisation at all levels of our union. Most of us take it for granted that we can organise and meet to […]
Conference welcomes the new UNISON Equality Scheme which, in addition to covering the statutory equality streams of gender, gender identity, race, disability, sexual orientation, age and religion/belief, also seeks to ensure equality within the union on the grounds of low pay. Conference acknowledges that although the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) self organised group […]
Conference welcomes: 1The UK Government’s stated commitment to working for the universal decriminalisation of homosexuality; 2The development and publication this year by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) of a strategy and toolkit for promoting and protecting the rights of LGBT people; 3Increasing recognition of the Yogyarkarta Principles on the application of international human rights […]
Conference notes that European Union law provides protection against sexual orientation discrimination – as well as age, disability, religion and belief – in the area of employment, but that there is currently no such protection in EU law against discrimination on these grounds in areas such as social protection, goods and services, health care and […]
Conference affirms that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality is an integral part of the organising and bargaining work of the union. Conference considers that UNISON’s Equality Scheme is a significant opportunity to achieve this. The purpose of the Equality Scheme is to make sure that equality is promoted and discrimination challenged in everything […]