Category: 2023 LGBT+ conference

UNISON president welcomes the union’s Year of LGBT+ Workers

UNISON president Libby Nolan addressed the union’s LGBT+ conference in Liverpool last weekend for the launch of the Year of LGBT+ Workers in 2024 and pledged: “I look forward to working with you to make this the best year possible.”

“This is a Tory administration that has come to the end of the road,” she told delegates. “It’s just a crying shame that we may have to put up with another year of it.

“Because make no mistake, this is a dying government … yet determined to continue running our country into the ground.

“We have seen the Tories’ relentless attacks on trans, non-binary and gender diverse people and their rights. I’m not going to peddle the same myths that members of the Tory party are happy to spout – it’s unfair to draw attention to it.

“But let me be clear, the presidential team and UNISON will not tolerate or excuse any form of trans hate or anti-trans rhetoric.

“Trans rights are human rights and, as trade unionists, we are committed to fighting alongside our trans siblings against this.

“So, a general election cannot come soon enough. The public need a chance to boot Sunak and his cronies out of office.

And Ms Nolan also wanted to celebrate LGBT+ victories over the past 12 months.

“Our trans equality campaign, which has been driven by our wonderful trans, non-binary and gender diverse network, has been a huge success. Over 2,000 members have been trained to be trans allies.

“Over 450 trans, non-binary and gender diverse members have joined the network nationally, and over 50 workplaces now have our trans equality model policy adopted in their workplaces.”

The article UNISON president welcomes the union’s Year of LGBT+ Workers first appeared on the UNISON National site.

UNISON president welcomes the union’s Year of LGBT+ Workers

UNISON president Libby Nolan addressed the union’s LGBT+ conference in Liverpool last weekend for the launch of the Year of LGBT+ Workers in 2024 and pledged: “I look forward to working with you to make this the best year possible.”

“This is a Tory administration that has come to the end of the road,” she told delegates. “It’s just a crying shame that we may have to put up with another year of it.

“Because make no mistake, this is a dying government … yet determined to continue running our country into the ground.

“We have seen the Tories’ relentless attacks on trans, non-binary and gender diverse people and their rights. I’m not going to peddle the same myths that members of the Tory party are happy to spout – it’s unfair to draw attention to it.

“But let me be clear, the presidential team and UNISON will not tolerate or excuse any form of trans hate or anti-trans rhetoric.

“Trans rights are human rights and, as trade unionists, we are committed to fighting alongside our trans siblings against this.

“So, a general election cannot come soon enough. The public need a chance to boot Sunak and his cronies out of office.

And Ms Nolan also wanted to celebrate LGBT+ victories over the past 12 months.

“Our trans equality campaign, which has been driven by our wonderful trans, non-binary and gender diverse network, has been a huge success. Over 2,000 members have been trained to be trans allies.

“Over 450 trans, non-binary and gender diverse members have joined the network nationally, and over 50 workplaces now have our trans equality model policy adopted in their workplaces.”

The article UNISON president welcomes the union’s Year of LGBT+ Workers first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Ministers picking on LGBT+ community does not deflect from government’s appalling record on rights, says UNISON

Conservative ministers picking on the LGBT+ community is nothing more than a divisive attempt to win votes and won’t succeed in deflecting attention from the government’s appalling record on human rights, says UNISON today (Saturday).

Speaking at the union’s annual LGBT+ conference in Liverpool, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea will say: “Watching Conservative politicians pick on marginalised communities and stir up hatred at their annual conference this autumn was a desperate attempt to get a bounce in the polls.

“Nothing ministers say can deflect from their dereliction of their duty to protect UK citizens from harm. They won’t ban conversion therapy but, playing to the gallery, they say they’ll kick transgender women out of NHS wards and woke ideology out of science.

“The clue is in the name. Conservative means no progress, no change. Conserve the past and reject the future.

“Over the past five decades UNISON has built a thriving LGBT+ union community with hundreds of active members making a difference in workplaces across the UK.

“Next year is to be UNISON’s year of LGBT+ workers. The union would like to see more LGBT+ employees getting involved in its work and making their voices heard across every part of the organisation. That means more LGBT+ branch officers, more trans ally training, a bigger young LGBT+ member network and more inclusive workplaces.

“This work should never be underestimated, especially in this incredibly toxic time. The coming year is an opportunity to build on that fantastic work and reaffirm the union’s commitment to respecting, protecting and enhancing LGBT+ rights.”

Notes to editors:– The UNISON LGBT+ Conference 2023 runs from Friday 10 to Sunday 12 November 2023 in Liverpool. More details are available here.– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contact:Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk

The article Ministers picking on LGBT+ community does not deflect from government’s appalling record on rights, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Ministers picking on LGBT+ community does not deflect from government’s appalling record on rights, says UNISON

Conservative ministers picking on the LGBT+ community is nothing more than a divisive attempt to win votes and won’t succeed in deflecting attention from the government’s appalling record on human rights, says UNISON today (Saturday).

Speaking at the union’s annual LGBT+ conference in Liverpool, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea will say: “Watching Conservative politicians pick on marginalised communities and stir up hatred at their annual conference this autumn was a desperate attempt to get a bounce in the polls.

“Nothing ministers say can deflect from their dereliction of their duty to protect UK citizens from harm. They won’t ban conversion therapy but, playing to the gallery, they say they’ll kick transgender women out of NHS wards and woke ideology out of science.

“The clue is in the name. Conservative means no progress, no change. Conserve the past and reject the future.

“Over the past five decades UNISON has built a thriving LGBT+ union community with hundreds of active members making a difference in workplaces across the UK.

“Next year is to be UNISON’s year of LGBT+ workers. The union would like to see more LGBT+ employees getting involved in its work and making their voices heard across every part of the organisation. That means more LGBT+ branch officers, more trans ally training, a bigger young LGBT+ member network and more inclusive workplaces.

“This work should never be underestimated, especially in this incredibly toxic time. The coming year is an opportunity to build on that fantastic work and reaffirm the union’s commitment to respecting, protecting and enhancing LGBT+ rights.”

Notes to editors:– The UNISON LGBT+ Conference 2023 runs from Friday 10 to Sunday 12 November 2023 in Liverpool. More details are available here.– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contact:Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk

The article Ministers picking on LGBT+ community does not deflect from government’s appalling record on rights, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.