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Community Conference 2018 Blog Update – Southport 1st – 4th March

Paul Berrisford and myself (Julie Walker) attended the Community Conference in Southport where we attended workshops prior to the start of conference. The first workshop was on Violence and Aggression where we were informed that 70% of our members within the Housing Association Sector reported violence and aggression at work, this is higher than other sectors where their average is 50%.

Unison has developed a Violence at Work Charter using data collated from previoussurveys conducted with our members. They have also consulted Unison Health and Safety teams and branches to produce a 10 point plan, are contacting employers to request that they sign up to the charter and take on board its recommendations.

The Charter requires

  • The Employer has a written Violence and Aggression at Work Policy
  • Responsibility for Violence and Aggression at Work Policy lies with Senior Managers
  • Isolation of workers is to be reduced
  • Staff actively encouraged to report incidents
  • Data is collected and monitored
  • Union Safety Representatives are able to access this data and consulted
  • There are thorough Risk Assessments produced
  • Support pathways are provided for staff who are victims of violence
  • Training is provided to ensure staff are aware of the appropriate way in which to deal with threatening situations
  • Independent counselling provided for employees

The Charter has been advertised in the media and now 15 employers have signed up to it already. These employers include

  • Coverage Care
  • Aspire
  • Dimensions
  • Mencap
  • Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB)
  • Creative Support
  • Federation of Jewish Services (Heathlands)
  • Places for People Group
  • Apex Housing Association
  • Sandwell Community Caring Trust
  • WM Housing Group
  • Wakefield and District Housing
  • Incommunities
  • The Wrekin Housing Trust

All of these employers have been sent two letters requesting that they look at their policies and the Charter has been press released twice. Unison have arranged for a Parliamentary event to raise the profile of the Charter and to put more pressure on employers to sign up. This will take place in June 2018 and will include Unison Activists from Community with particular interest in this issue.

There were 16 motions discussed on Saturday afternoon and all were carried, an Emergency Motion was introduced by Greater London Region regarding London Housing Crisis. This emergency motion was fully debated, and the consensus was that although Greater London Region had brought this to conference it was in fact a motion that affected all regions. The motion was duly carried.

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Women’s Conference 2018 – Liverpool – Nordic Model Now

Reported by -Becky Everett – Derby City Branch Delegate

Nordic Model Now

Conference affirms its policy of supporting the Nordic Model Campaign.

Rather than full decriminalisation of the sex trade, the Nordic Model is the human rights based and equality model. Also known as the Sex Buyer Law, it decriminalises all those who are prostituted, provides services to help them exit, and makes buying prostitution a criminal offence, while imposing tough penalties on pimps and traffickers. The aim is to change behaviour and reduce the demand that drives sex trafficking; thus setting new social norms.

Conference applauds the work of Space International, an organisation made up of woman survivors of prostitution, committed both by raising the public’s consciousness of the harm of prostitution and to lobbying governments to do something about it.

UNISON recognises that prostitution is a deeply exploitative trade that has a massive adverse impact on gender equality. We have to change social attitudes, and to support that we have to change the law, to tackle demand, to support those who wish to exit prostitution.

Conference is disappointed at the Amnesty International policy stance, but is heartened that the BMA at their recent conference voted not to legitimiser pimps and punters, rejecting a motion by junior Drs to ‘fully decriminalise’ the sex industry (which means decriminalising pimps, brothel keepers and punters as well as prostituted women)

Conference was very mixed in its opinions and we had numerous speakers for and against. The LGBT SOG group put an excellent counter debate, explaining that the New Zealand model was a far better model to adopt and that the sex workers had stated that the Nordic Model did not make them feel safe. Below are videos that explain both Models.

Conference rejected this motion.

This video explains the Nordic Model

This Video Explains the New zealand Model

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Women’s Conference 2018 – Liverpool – Non-Binary Inclusion

Reported by -Becky Everett – Derby City Branch Delegate

Non-Binary Inclusion

Conference welcome the work  initiated by UNISONS LGBT group to begin to make UNISONS organisation, events, policies, systems and good practice advice inclusive of non-binary members.

Conference is concerned about scare-mongering media’s coverage of some organisations’ moves towards non binary inclusion. This coverage has suggested that non-binary inclusion represents an attempt to ‘do away’ with gender or that it undermines work to tackle sexism and build women’s equality. Conference is mindful that much of this scaremongering has come from people with no track record in fighting for women’s rights.

Non-Binary people are people whose gender identity is not solely male or female. They may define themselves as both, neither or something different. While non-binary people are of all ages and as diverse as any other cross section of society, increasing numbers of young people in particular are identifying outside traditional binary gender norms.

Conference called for the National women’s Committee to:

1)    Raise awareness within the self-organised group, including branch and regional women’s groups, of steps to build non-binary inclusion in UNISON, including promoting the UNISON factsheet on this subject ‘Gender equality; non-binary inclusion’;

2)    Dispel any myths of a conflict between non-binary inclusion and women’s equality;

3)    Work with LGBT committee to co-ordinate work on tackling gender stereotyping;

4)    Consider ways to support the national LGBT committee in furthering non-binary inclusion in UNISON and in the workplace.

In my opinion, people felt confused over what non-binary actually meant and from conversations we had with other delegates it was felt that we needed more information. Delegates thought that a non-binary person would swap and change how they present themselves, however during the speakers it was confirmed that non-binary people would identify as neither male nor female, And wouldn’t want to claim male only or female only seats on any SOG group.

This motion was carried.

More Information about the Non-Binary Gender can be found in the Video and Article below