Category: Labour Group

This mornings session begins with debating on motions to be put forward to National Delegate Conference to be held next year. NDC1 and NDC2 were agreed to be put forward to next years conference, (you can read more about these motions by clicking here)

Kath Owen UNISON Vice President addresses conference, Kath announced a National online activists meeting, discussed how cuts to specialist services is having a big negative impact to our members.

Following this speech we move onto discussing motions in the Campaigning and Promoting UNISON Section this covers

The first section was for the Hub of Hope this is a useful service for anyone to find support local to those seeking it. you can click on the image below to go to the website.

Then motions were discussed around;

• Climate Change is a LGBT+ Issue
• The UK Policing Bill: an infringement of LGBT+ Rights
• The Future of Adult Social Care for LGBT+ People
• Response to Racism and LGBT+ Phobia in Mental Health Services
• Poor Provision of Healthcare for Trans People

This was the last debate on Motions for this conference any non discussed motions will be passed to the next LGBT+ committee meeting.

An LGBT+ engaging branches guide will be launched within a week on the following link https://www.unison.org.uk/out

Next the Digital Organising Awards were presented by Andrea Egan UNISON Vice President and the winners were joint –

• North West regions
• Northern Ireland LGBT+Unison Group

Following this a special presentation was made to Carol Mahwood for her endless work for the LGBT+ work in UNISON

Special mention to Carola Towle special thanks to all the work she has done for LGBT+ work and equalities, she will be retiring next year and this is her last Unison LGBT+ Conference.

This year the bucket collection is virtual and all are asked to donate to Mermaids. Mermaids has been supporting transgender, nonbinary and gender-diverse children, young people, and their families since 1995. you can donate by clicking here https://mermaidsuk.org.uk

This brings the Conference to a close for this year I hope you have found this blog useful and find something that you can take away with you.

The opening of conference began with a welcome from

There was then a minutes silence to remember on those that have been lost over the past year.

This years bucket collection is going to Mermaids

The Standing orders committee report two was this contained amendments and emergency motions to be added to the order of business.

First day of conference began with a speech from Francia Blanco a trans domestic worker from Nicaragua working in Guatemala.

You can read more about her cause and listen to the podcast which explains the work Francia and the union she is part of where LGBTQ+ Domestic Workers win rights with their union. Click on the image to go to the website.

you can also watch the following video for more information.

Now we move on to the presentation of this years Annual Report to read the report in full please click on the below image.

Motions for the Negotiating LGBT+ Equality section of the annual report is now being discussed. you can read the motions by clicking on the below image.

These motions were… all were carried.

• Supporting ~Stonewall and our Trans Community

• Working from home is s reasonable adjustment

• sickness policy motion

• Mental Health and suicide awareness to support LGBT+ members following the COVID-19 pandemic

• Introducing pronouns into the work place

• Mental Health: A Trade Union Issue

• Make Call Centres more trans friendly

during this debate the following how to be an ally fact sheet was discussed and the can be read below by clicking on the images

Christina McAnea General Secretary addressed conference and some of her key points from her speech were as follows.

68 countries are still facing serious issues surrounding LGBT+

you should be able to live your life and be who you are

Transgender awareness day is important to remember, you can read more about it by clicking the below image.

Remind our self to unite fight common injustices and be aware that we all have the same fight towards the external forces. One of the quotes that inspires Christina “If I can’t dance I don’t want to be in your revolution,” said Emma Goldman (1869-1940), this brought her speech to an end.

Now we move onto the International Work section of the Annual Report and the subsequent motions… all were carried.

• Justice for Palestine

• Trans Rights in Europe

• Palestine

• Solidarity with LGBT+ Afgans – Providing a place if safety

• Defending International LGBT+ Rights

This concludes this mornings session of conference please look out for the next update this afternoon.