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Unison LGBT+ Conference 2021 – Panel Debate Session 1

Day 1 – Panel debate And first session in the conference hall 

This year there were no separate meetings as there was a need to ensure social distancing and reduced contact took place for all conference business. The main conference. 

Unison LGBT+ conference started with a debate for service groups prior to the main conference taking place. This explores how each area supports all in sensitive ways for each service group. 

There were speakers on each specific service area, these were the following

Maureen Le Marinel – Police and Justice Group

Jon Richards – Assistant General Secretary

Davina Rankin – Higher education

James Anthony – Health Service Group

Brian Morgan-Scrutton – WET and Energy Service groups

Key points and discussions were held around the following 

  • Better wider view of things that are happening in your workplace and other workplaces to be able to support all. 
  • How we experience discrimination is different for all in more ways than just sexuality.
  • looking at ways to support LGBT+ NHS workers and patients 
  • It’s important that when the time is right for you get involved in the unison structure and service groups when you can you will not regret it.
  • The SOGs have direct representation from service groups to report back to the SOGs to ensure that there is representation for all service groups.
  • NEC has a equality liaison group where members work together to ensure that all needs are considered for all groups and ensure that policies are categorised correctly.
  • Encouraging young members into Service Groups
  • People join a union for protection and support to ensure they can work effectively.  
  • Hybrid working but ensure it all staff are included that can and get support to do so. Working from home held more discussions around the certain issues facing those who can work from home and those who are not able to due to the nature of their work. 

Issues faced 

  • Pay and terms and conditions affects all service areas 
  • Issues around job evaluation schemes and changing of staff terms and conditions.
  • Job security affected due to current energy suppliers having increased costs and reducing employment levels in any way they can 
  • Issues faced with face to face contact reducing recruitment opportunities, use zoom, outdoor meets, professional groups visits.
  • Having the Covid-19 vaccination becoming mandatory by next year for all apart from exemptions, and also the effects of the mandatory covid-19 vaccination to work in a care setting. Vaccine hesitancy has an effect on all of these issues and not enough work is being done to support these workers.  
  • What’s being done for organisations who are saving money by staff working from home and getting no recompense but the money is now being banked. Budget constraints in public companies are absorbed however private companies may capitalise. 

Christina McAnea General Secretary of UNISON will be speaking to conference tomorrow.

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Special Delegate Conference 2021 – Day 3

Today we attended the third of three days of the National Special Delegate Conference in a very different way, as a virtual conference run by UNISON attended by the branch. this was all done online with voting taking place virtually. and your Delegates all attended and actively participated in this event. 

First we had a welcome from Josie Bird, introducing us to the conference and the order of business and the rules around it.

Todays order of business was the remaining order of business and the continuation debating of the motions the detail of these can be found in the following documents. click on the documents to read more detail.

The first motion to be discussed is Motion 66 – LGBT+ people; hidden figures in the pandemic was carried

LGBT+ people should not be hidden figures in this Inquiry

Composite A (Motions 7 and 8) – Creating Fairer Workplaces for the Post Lockdown World is carried It’s crucial we lead the fight for a fairer workplace. We know who the Covid hero’s are this needs reflecting in pay! Read more on the composite here https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2021/03/SOC-Report-SDC-2021-Final_.pdf

Josie then went on to talk about the following video campaign. Impossible choices could soon define our local communities. But we can #SaveOurServices. Write to your MP to #DemandThe10Billion

https://action.unison.org.uk/page/65995/action/1

Motion 64 – No Going Backwards on Gender Equality is carried The gender pay gap is real! Women DO hold vital jobs within our public service. #bridgethegap

Motion 23 – Organise to Defend Workers’ Rights post Brexit, post Covid this is carried #FireAndRehire must stop!

Motion 45 – Coronavirus Pandemic – the Case for Public Services this was carried

Motion 20 – Learning the Lessons from the Pandemic for Safer Workplaces this was carried as amended 20.1

Motion 43 – Organising to End the Crisis in Social Care – this was carried Social care remains in crisis. Low paid carers worked all through the pandemic, PPE was in short supply, the risks faced & anxiety of Covid was real!

All motions that could be moved have been completed for this years conference any motions not moved will be passed to the NEC (National Executive Council)

And Finally

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Local Government Special Conference 2021

Today we attended a conference in a very different way, this was the first fully virtual conference run by UNISON attended by the branch. this was all done online with voting taking place virtually. and your Delegates all attended and actively participated in this event.

First we had a welcome from Josie Bird, introducing us to the conference and the order of business and the rules around it. we then held a one minute silence to honour and remember those that we have lost over the past two years.

Then we moved to the debating of the motions the detail of these can be found in the following documents. click on the documents to read more detail.

The debating of the motion now took place, here’s a summary of all the decisions that were made and some informative Tweets from your Branch Secretary Becky Everett.

Motion 25 – The Future of Local Government with amendments – carried

Motion 29 – Developing and Expanding social partnership and fair work in Wales and across the UK is – carried.

Motion 28 – Covid Legacy – carried

Motion 36 – Education Support Staff and the need for Comprehensive State Education were both carried

Motion 24 – Traveller Communities and Motion – Carried

Motion 26 -Local Government and Climate Breakdown as amended were both – Carried

Motion 35 Facility Time in Schools – carried

Composite B – Local Government Funding and Fighting Cuts – carried

Composite C – Social Care – carried

Below is an interesting Webinar with information and support for care workers for you to watch.

Motion 22 – the Future of Youth Services – carried

Motion 33 – Adult Educational Needs Investment – carried

a Celebrating Local Government champions video was shown, watch here…

We are now being shown ‘Would You Rather’ Impossible choices could soon define our local communities. But we can #SaveOurServices. Write to your MP to #DemandThe10Billion

https://unsn.uk/3kSnBRU

This concludes this mornings session.

Christina McAnea now addresses conference speaking about the commitments and work being carried out by UNISON to support Local Government across the United Kingdom

Now the discussions on motions begins for the final conference session.

Motion 10 – Work Related Stress in Local Government – carried Work related stress is such a prominent issue for all local government workers.

Motion 4 – The future of the National Joint Council for England, Wales and Northern Ireland – carried, looking at the structure and review the process.

Motion 15 – Standing Up to Violence, Harassment and Abuse of Local Government Staff – carried

Motion 1 – Unity Against Public Sector Pay Freeze – carried

Motion 12 – Health & Safety and safety reps in local government after Covid – an opportunity to recruit and organise women workers – carried

Composite A – pay strategy for organising and industrial action in local government – carried

Motion 2 – Food Standards Agency – Pay, Terms & Conditions – carried

Motion 11 – Covid-19 hasn’t killed sexual harassment at work – it’s just moved online – carried

Motion 18 – The impact of Covid-19 on Black workers in local government – due to no one being able to move this motion it has fallen

Motion 20 – Homeworking as a reasonable adjustment in post-COVID local government workplaces is now being discussed and how this has created better working practices for disabled members and others – carried

Motion 21 LGBT+ inclusive policies in Local Government is now being – carried

Motion 13 Reduction in the Working Week – Campaigning Across the Sectors – carried. Some members feel they are ‘Not Working from Home but Sleeping in the Workplace’ this needs to stop!

Motion 9 For Fair Public Sector Funding And Against a Public Sector Pay Freeze – carried (motion 6 falls)

Motion 16 – LGBT+ workers health and well being – carried

Motion 19 – Accessing reasonable adjustments during Covid-19 -carried

Motion 17 The Challenges and Opportunities for an Ageing Workforce in Local Government – carried

Motion 34 – Reduce agency working in Further Education Colleges – carried

Josie bird closed the conference and we would like to thank all involved for putting it together in very special circumstances see you at the look out for our updates on UNISON Special Delegate Conference next week