2023 National Womens Conference

Women’s conference calls for stronger sexual harassment policies in the workplace

Sexual harassment at work was a strong topic at this year’s women’s conference in Bournemouth, both in and outside the conference hall.

At a conference workshop on the subject, one delegate expressed how difficult it can be for individuals to call out sexual harassment at her male-dominated workplace. “When I do, my colleagues just say: ‘Oh there she goes again’. But this is not harmless banter. It’s insulting and it’s distressing.”

Another delegate shared how she was sexually assaulted at work. She said that although she received support and counselling at the time, she had been unable to move forward because sexual harassment is so normalised in the culture of her workplace.

“Every time there is a sexual harassment-related incident at work – even if it doesn’t involve me – it triggers memories of my assault,” she said.

A motion on workplace policies on sexual harassment addressed these issues head-on. It noted that too many public bodies are moving away from individual policies for specific issues, such as sexual harassment and racial discrimination, in favour of an all-encompassing, fair treatment at work policy, “where the voices of marginalised groups are lost through merging them under the equality banner.”

The motion added: “Our employers cannot continue to get away with ignoring both the specific needs of women in the workplace or the intersectionality issues faced by marginalised groups.”

Proposing the motion, Elaine Wishart, of the City of Edinburgh branch, told delegates: “The #MeToo movement was incredibly powerful and overdue. But unless we have the framework of a steadfast and robust sexual harassment policy at work, good people might be afraid to act. Far too often claims are investigated by men and covered up by men.

“We need to ensure that everyone understands the magnitude of sexual harassment policies. We need to stand with survivors and make the workplace a safe place. Any compassionate employer must ensure there is clear guidance in place for dealing with our experiences.”

Passing the motion, delegates called on the national women’s committee to:

Increase the understanding of sexual harassment and the different ways it can impact people in the workplace;
Encourage equality and women’s officers to negotiate and roll out sexual harassment policies with the employers covered by their branch, ensuring that they include references to the specific needs of women, both cis and trans, and of other marginalised groups, with a focus on intersectionality.

“Engaging with UNISON reps is the best and most meaningful way to address the huge range of sexualised behaviours which are commonplace at work,” Ms Wishart added. “We need to make employers realise these are never acceptable, regardless of whether they’re criminal or not.

“We must start labelling them and calling them out. It takes real courage and real strength to do so, but we must start asking difficult questions. We cannot rely on employers to do the right thing.”

The article Women’s conference calls for stronger sexual harassment policies in the workplace first appeared on the UNISON National site.

UNISON urges better protection for domestic abuse victims

Pictured above: the North West regional women’s committee, domestic abuse group. Back row (l to r): Jessica Aitchison, Dawn Warriner, Christine Collins, Teresa Connally. Front row (l to r): Rachel Wright, Paula Craig and Lesley Lancelott.

One third of women report domestic abuse at some point in their lives. With almost 80% of UNISON’s 1.3 million women identifying as women, domestic abuse is most definitely a trade union issue, delegates at the annual women’s conference heard last week.

“Often the first sign of domestic abuse in the workplace is when women are called out for their work levels dipping, for having time off work or if they have unexplained injuries,” said Rachel Wright, of the North West regional women’s committee.

“UNISON is ideally placed to help support survivors of domestic abuse, as we are already established as a safe, secure and confidential place for members to share their issues.”

Only 5% of employers currently have a domestic violence policy and not all of these are up-to-date, Ms Wright continued. “A lot of workplaces are afraid of tackling the issue, because they think they’re going to have to sort out people’s lives. But it’s in everyone’s interest for domestic abuse to be addressed at the earliest possible stage. It ensures employers retain experienced staff and women receive the support they need.”

North West regional women’s committee has set up a domestic abuse group to explore different ways of supporting members in the workplace. At conference, group member Paula Craig (pictured above) explained to delegates her role as a domestic abuse champion at Cheshire Police, a volunteer role that has been developed as a result of the group’s work.

“As a domestic abuse champion my role is to listen to, support and signpost domestic abuse victims to professional services. Women need to feel supported and know that their information will be treated confidentially, if they disclose.”

The domestic abuse champion also educates and informs the employer about domestic abuse issues and ensures suitable adjustments are made at work when a member is living with or escaping from domestic violence and abuse, she said. These can include:

Paid time off to attend appointments;
Protection to and from travelling to work, if required;
Dedicated space at work to organise domestic issues like bills, housing etc.

Conference heard that, during the pandemic, calls to domestic abuse helplines increased by 65% and it is estimated that there are currently around 2.4 million people experiencing domestic abuse. The number of domestic abuse murders increased also.

One member told her fellow delegates: “We need to do all we can to make domestic abuse history. I’m a survivor of domestic abuse and it’s made me stronger, more determined and the person I am today.”

A composite motion was passed that calls on the national women’s committee to:

Work with learning and organising services (LAOS) to provide training for all UNISON stewards on domestic violence – reviewing and updating the presently available training courses and information for activists and women members who may be impacted by domestic violence either directly or indirectly;
Ask all UNISON branches to provide support for women having to flee without preparation, including photocopying essential documents, such as birth certificates, passports and any rent/mortgage agreements and emergency packs including basic toiletries;
Support the TUC’s campaign encouraging all employers to develop and implement workplace domestic abuse policies; provide mandatory training for all employees; and offer victims 10 days’ paid leave and a day one right to flexible working;
Support the TUC’s call for wider reforms of Universal Credit and funding for domestic abuse support services;
Produce guidance that can help signpost help and support for women members both at home and in the workplace.

The role of the domestic abuse champion was also discussed at length at a fringe meeting. The eventual aim is for every UNISON branch to have someone in this role, performing a similar function to UNISON’s mental health first-aiders – there to advise and signpost members to relevant support organisations, rather than provide support themselves.

The article UNISON urges better protection for domestic abuse victims first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Women’s equality at risk of being put back 25 years by the pandemic

More than 50 years after the Equal Pay Act was passed, women at work and in retirement continue to face widespread discrimination – and the situation has worsened since the pandemic, UNISON’s annual women’s conference heard last week.

According to the Office of National Statistics, the gender pay gap currently stands at 15% for full-time workers and is much wider when employed part-time, as most women are.

Working years

Proposing a motion ‘gender pay justice for women workers’, Kate Ramsden of Scotland region (pictured above) told delegates: “Workers – mainly women – stepped up during COVID to keep this country going. There was a recognition that these jobs were essential. Now – despite the clapping during COVID – we’re back to business as usual.

“Women enter the labour force already disadvantaged because of our as roles as mothers and carers, and we pay the price. These are wonderful jobs, jobs that should be valued and respected and properly remunerated – but they’re not.”

The UN’s women’s data report for 2020 has estimated that women’s equality is at risk of being set back 25 years due to the pandemic. The UN has therefore reaffirmed its commitment to improving women’s work conditions to combat this rollback.

Yet policymakers have turned their backs on the women workers who made up the majority of frontline workers during the pandemic, conference heard.

“We know that work done by women is neither valued nor paid its worth by society. In fact it is disgracefully underpaid, undervalued and precarious, and the situation is worsening,” stated Ms Ramsden. “This means that women are now bearing the brunt of the cost of living crisis, struggling to feed themselves and their families and to keep their homes.”

In passing the motion, delegates called on the national women’s committee to:

Ensure meaningful actions to tackle gender pay gaps are included in future pay claims;
Lobby UK governments to bring forward meaningful legislation to close the gaps, with penalties for employers who fail to do so.

Retirement

“Women are short-changed through their working lives and then through retirement,” Dawn Johnson, North Cumbria, Northumberland and Tyne & Wear health branch (pictured below), told delegates.

“Women are much more likely to take maternity leave when they have a baby, so that lessens their pension. They’re more likely to have caring responsibilities and work part time, that lessens their pension. Low paid workers are largely women, that lessens their pension. Younger women are more likely to suffer from gender-related illnesses, like PMS [premenstrual syndrome] and these lessen their pension.”

Also women statistically struggle more following a divorce, which often leads to them withdrawing from pension schemes to make ends meet, she added. “And that’s all before we’ve reached the menopause. I know women who’ve taken early retirement due to the menopause. Again this affects their pensions.”

The TUC has calculated that the income gap between men and women in retirement is a massive 38%.

“I never expected to have to work until I was 66. I am a domiciliary care worker which is a very intense job,” said Pam McKenzie, Northern Ireland branch. “I suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, as a result of my job, but I can’t afford to retire. I took time out to have three children. I also had to reduce my hours because I have two elderly parents and a disabled grandchild. I have to work longer now to get a full pension.

“I have two brothers and they don’t have to work longer. They think it’s my job, they say it’s women’s work.”

Pauline Baker, Suffolk branch, added: “ I didn’t take time out to have children and I’ve worked since I was 16, but I still don’t know whether I’ll be able to afford to live on the state pension. I have a mortgage, I’ve got heating costs and special dietary needs.”

Added to this, it came to light in July 2022, that due to errors made by the Department for Work and Pensions in national insurance credits, certain married women, widows and over 80s are owed around £1.5 million in back payments, which still hasn’t been paid.

Rosie MacGregor, national retired members’ committee, said: “The income for women pensioners is hugely disproportionate to those of men – almost half the income, by many estimates. Tens of thousands of women have been underpaid their state pension and they’re still having to wait many years for compensation – building injustice on injustice.”

Conference approved the motion on the gender pension gap, to:

Work with UNISON’s pension department to improve understanding of the current situation;
Develop easy-to-understand information sheets about pensions, to be sent to all women members;
Work with LAOS to provide training for women to help them improve their current pension outcomes;
Work with Labour Link to lobby the government to lower the auto-enrolment threshold for state pensions, to support the union’s lowest paid women and those with multiple low-paid jobs.

The article Women’s equality at risk of being put back 25 years by the pandemic first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Women are at the heart of UNISON’s industrial action

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea gave an impassioned and rallying address to the union’s national women’s conference today, urging members: “Don’t give up in the face of these challenges.”

With the union’s members involved in a string of pay disputes, across sectors, Ms McAnea noted: “Women are at the heart of the action we’re taking now. I’ve met many of you on the picket lines.

“The right-wing media – and Tory politicians – still like to use the language of the ‘70s when attacking trade unions. They talk disparagingly about ‘trade union barons holding the country to ransom’. Yet again, they’re showing just how out of touch they are, as it’s women who are fronting so many of our disputes and negotiations. And I don’t just mean me. Our lead negotiators across most sectors are women.

“I meet amazing women every day in this job,” she added. “Women whose lives have been changed for the better by our union, who then go on to change other people’s lives for the better.”

Ms McAnea reminded delegates of the nursery nurses’ strike in Scotland in 2003, which was the biggest strike in Scotland since the miners’ strike and was led and planned by the women involved.

“At the end of it, every single nursery nurse was getting higher pay. One of the leaders was our own Carol Ball – who I met through the strike. She inspired me and many other women to get involved and be active in our union.

“I’m sure many of you in this hall will have your own story to tell – and will know someone who is just like Carol. And that’s what a union ought to do: give everyone the opportunity to learn, to grow, and to lead – if that’s what they want to do. That’s why it’s so important that we support each other and don’t give up in the face of these challenges.”

In relation to the multiple crises gripping the UK, she said: “For years we’ve warned successive governments of the urgent need for more investment, planning and change in public services. But they ignored our warnings. And now we find ourselves struggling to make headway in the midst of a perfect storm.

“Across all our public services, the cost-of-living crisis is forcing people to leave jobs they love, because they can get more money working in a supermarket or an Amazon warehouse.

“But conference, this government reckoned without our members. Hasn’t it been fantastic on strike days to see a sea of green and purple on our TVs?… Despite the upheaval and the impact on our public services, polls show we still have huge public support for the action we’re taking. People aren’t taken in by Tory propaganda. They understand our actions are to secure a safer and better future for everyone. And in our critical sectors, our members are still keeping people safe.”

Finally, Ms McAnea asked delegates to think about what they wanted the world to look like, 20 or 30 years from now.

“I know what I want to see – a world where the very idea of your being different because you’re a woman, or a Black person, or disabled seems strange. I want a world where LGBT+ and trans people can be exactly who they want to be, without fear of assault and persecution. Where being Black doesn’t mean you’re more likely to be passed over for promotion or be disciplined at work. And where having a disability isn’t a barrier, but a fact of life. Where it’s not disabled people who have to adapt, but society and work that have to change.

“I want a union where women leaders become the norm – not the exception. So I’m determined to build on the work we’ve already started, developing and supporting women leaders – and Black leaders – in our union.

“I want to make sure that women’s voices are heard at every level. And we can all play our part in making it happen. There will be no turning back from this. We need to be focused, we need to be bold, we need to be loud, and we will make change happen.”

The article Women are at the heart of UNISON’s industrial action first appeared on the UNISON National site.

The cost of living crisis hits home for working women

The cost of living crisis dominated the first day of this year’s national women’s conference, with delegates from all sectors sharing their experiences of how soaring inflation, huge hikes in energy bills and falling incomes are impacting on their members’ lives.

With women holding 69% of low-paid and insecure jobs, the worry and sacrifices being experienced are widespread and disproportionate.

“The cost of living crisis is really a low pay crisis. Incomes are insufficient to live on,” said Annette Heslop (pictured above), of the national women’s committee. “Women are usually over-represented in part-time roles, but now they are having to take on more hours to survive. This has huge implications for relationships, mental health and leisure time, as caring responsibilities fall largely on their shoulders too.”

Mary Revell, from UNISON Northern Ireland (pictured above), added: “Across the UK, households of all shapes and sizes are being destroyed by rising living costs. Its impact on women and their families is clear – rising prices are eating into incomes and reducing families’ ability to spend. While richer families saved money during the pandemic, the poorest have fallen further into debt and have no cushion to cope with rising prices.”

There are three times more women in part-time work than men, and a fifth of women are paid below the real living wage, conference heard. As a result, they are having to prioritise their immediate financial commitments – like mortgages, rent and utility bills – over long-term goals like pension savings, which will lead to greater poverty in old age.

“The impact of the cost of living crisis will be felt for years to come as it is exacerbating the existing outcomes of entrenched gender inequality,” said Pat Heron, of Northern region.

Families

As the “shock-absorbers” for austerity and the cost of living crisis, women are going without food, heating and clothing to provide for their families and loved ones. Families are being forced to make increasingly desperate decisions.

Single parents, most of whom are women, are particularly badly hit. Reliance upon food banks has risen dramatically, with a third experiencing financial difficulty and 11% in problem debt.

“We are aware from our members of stories of women skipping meals, going without, turning off their heating, sitting in the dark because the electricity meter is empty, making their own sanitary products – because they simply cannot afford to get by. These experiences only scratch the surface of what the cost of living crisis is doing to women and their families,” said Ms Hislop.

Disabled women

Recent research by the TUC highlighted that even prior to COVID-19, over a third of disabled workers were living in such extreme poverty that they were having to cut back on food and heating to survive. The cost of living crisis has made a bad situation even worse.

And a report by the Leonard Cheshire charity, in April 2022, said that over half a million disabled people were living off just £10 a week after bills. And this was before the cost of living crisis.

A member of the national disabled members committee said that having a disability can cost an additional £1,000 a month in utility bills and adaptations.

“Women with health conditions like arthritis require heating on to avoid pain,” she said. “Also many disabled women rely upon life-saving equipment like electric wheelchairs, mobility equipment and oxygen machines. These costs are not feasible now, but their use cannot be cut back on. For some now, it is not a choice between eating and heating, but upon breathing itself.”

Retirement

Speaking passionately to a packed conference, Pat Heron of Northern region described how she cannot afford to retire due to the cost of living crisis.

“As a single householder, I am coming up to an age when, to be honest, I could have retired. But I’ve had to wait. I’ve been pushed into poverty through my pension. Now I’m standing here in poverty and I have the cheek of a Tory government telling me to go and work extra hours to make ends meet.

“Well, I work as hard as I damn well can, like the rest of the women here today. We have to stand together. We have to fight. We have to make our voices heard. It’s no wonder we’ve seen women take to the picket line.”

Domestic abuse

One in three women report domestic abuse at some time in their lives and there was a sharp increase in reported cases during the pandemic. Restricting access to money in a cost of living crisis makes it even harder for women to leave abusive partners.

“At the moment, there is even less certainty about how survivors of domestic abuse will be able to support themselves and their children,” said Lynn Marie O’Hara, of Scotland region. “No one should be suffering domestic abuse and yet, at the moment, women are experiencing domestic abuse in every possible way.”

Maternity leave

The current basic rate for statutory maternity and parental pay equates to just 47% of the national living wage, conference heard. At a time when women need their income to keep up with the costs of a new baby, women are getting penalised and finding themselves in financial difficulty.

According to a survey carried out by Maternity Action, nearly two-thirds of respondents said they worried a lot about money when experiencing a sharp drop in income while they were pregnant or on maternity leave.

But with an absence of affordable childcare, many women are caught between a rock and a hard place. Unable to pay childcare costs, they cannot increase their hours of work to raise their income.

Fiona Turnball of Tees Esk and Wears Valleys Health branch (pictured above) told delegates: “The failure to increase maternity pay to keep up with inflation not only causes financial hardship, but is also driving more and more pregnant women and new mothers in to poverty.”

Young women

Young women are more vulnerable to high living costs, as they spend a higher proportion of their income on household goods, which are susceptible to “inflation-induced volatility”.

Sarah Walsh from the young members’ forum argued that, “This is not a crisis, it’s intentional imposed poverty. We are currently closer to Victorian times than we ever thought possible as a women’s movement.

“I’ve had my heating on three times since the autumn, because I can’t afford to turn on my storage heaters. I live in a rubbish, terraced house where my landlord won’t fit decent heating. This is the level of insecurity that young people are living with. We don’t have homes of our own that we can insulate nicely and that have good quality heating systems. We can’t afford a house deposit.”

In addition, young workers are more likely to be on short-term, zero-hour contracts.

Black workers

Research by the Women’s Budget Group in March last year showed that poverty rates are significantly higher amongst Black, Asian and ethnic minority groups. Black women are more likely to earn less and have high levels of concern about debt. Around 43% of Black women said they believed they would be more in debt since the pandemic, compared with 37% of white women.

“My mum used to talk about “robbing Peter to pay Paul”, but Black workers can no longer even do this. The pot is empty,” said Paulette White, of Gateshead Health branch.

A wide range of motions were passed to tackle cost of living issues. These included calls to:

campaign for minimum pay rates of £15 an hour across the UK and to restore the £20 cut to universal credit;
call for an abolition of the benefits cap and the two child limit;
promote UNISON’s disability employment charter as a way of improving disabled women’s income through better access to reasonable adjustments at work, Access to Work support and by supporting disabled women into good quality employment.
campaign for an emergency domestic abuse fund to be set up to help support survivors of domestic abuse to pay for essential items and energy bills;
campaign for good quality, affordable childcare for all children, properly paid parental leave for all parents and all jobs to be flexible by default;
lobby the UK governments to take substantial action on tackling the gender pay gap;
work with regional women’s groups and service groups to build a body of evidence that illustrates the impact the cost of living crisis is having on women.

The article The cost of living crisis hits home for working women first appeared on the UNISON National site.

The government must talk to unions and the women in charge of them to solve strikes

Announcing a significant escalation of the NHS pay dispute today (Friday), UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea told delegates in Bournemouth attending the union’s annual women’s conference:

“Every ambulance trust in England and Northern Ireland, bar one, is ready to take action in the next few weeks, in the fight for decent pay and the future of the NHS.

“The Westminster government needs to take stock. It must take a serious look at the damage and disruption it’s causing to the NHS, the public and staff.

“My message remains the same. Talk to unions. There is still time. Only genuine talks, about pay for this year can resolve the dispute.

“For years we’ve warned successive governments of the urgent need for more investment, planning and change in public services. But they ignored the warnings.

“Across all public services, the cost-of-living crisis is forcing people to leave jobs they love – because they can get more money working in a supermarket or Amazon warehouse.

“I feel privileged to lead a union of people doing such important jobs. Every time I’m interviewed – or given the chance to make the case for public servants deserve better pay, my job is made easier by the stories I’m told by the workers UNISON represents.

“Despite the upheaval, and the impact on the public, polls show there’s huge support for the action UNISON’s taking. People aren’t taken in by the government’s propaganda. They understand the action is to secure a safer and better future for everyone.

“In critical sectors, striking workers are still keeping people safe. I’ve been out on the road visiting picket lines and at every single one, I saw staff leaving to respond to emergencies.

“It might be the strikes that capture attention, but it’s the work below the water line that makes a huge difference to workers’ lives.

“Right wing media and Tory politicians like to use the language of the 1970s when attacking us. They talk disparagingly about ‘union barons holding the country to ransom’.

“Yet again they’re showing just how out of touch they are. It’s women fronting so many of the current disputes and negotiations.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON National Women’s Conference is taking place from Thursday 16 to Saturday 18 February at Bournemouth International Centre.
– 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 contacts:
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk

The article The government must talk to unions and the women in charge of them to solve strikes first appeared on the UNISON National site.