Category: unison women

Conference restates UNISON’s campaign for abortion rights

Delegates at UNISON’s national delegate conference last week reaffirmed the union’s commitment to campaign for the decriminalisation of abortion in England, Scotland and Wales.

Greenwich Local Government branch proposed a motion on defending abortion rights, which was described as “very important and timely” in the light of the overturning of Roe v Wade by the US Supreme Court last year, “the biggest attack on abortion rights since the 1970s,” and the recent jailing in the UK of mother of three Carla Foster for ending her pregnancy.

Speaking for the national executive council (NEC) in support of the motion, Liz Wheatley (pictured) called Ms Foster’s 28-month sentence, half of which must be spent in custody, “a disgrace”.

She added: “This ruling will give confidence to all those who stand outside clinics harassing women trying to exercise their right to choose, to all those who want to turn the clock back and send us into the backstreets.

“Bans, laws and rulings like this won’t stop abortions, they’ll only stop safe abortions. They will drive abortion underground and see the return of people dying from backstreet abortions. And they will make it even harder for Black women, for women with disabilities to access abortions.”

Ms Wheatley outlined a number of instances of women being investigated by the police in England and Wales, in the past eight years, to see if they had had ‘illegal’ abortions or for trying to terminate a pregnancy, including a woman who had a stillbirth and was still in hospital.

“For these women, for Carla Foster, for many others, we have to campaign for decriminalisation, she said. “The fact that abortion is still a criminal offence in this country has to change.”

Blog: Why attacks on legal abortion is a trade union matter

 

The article Conference restates UNISON’s campaign for abortion rights 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.

Celebrating working women: UNISON prepares for IWD 2023

UNISON is organising an International Women’s Day event in Glasgow on 8 March next year to celebrate the contributions of care workers, cleaners, school workers, librarians, and administrators to their workplaces, communities and the union.

General secretary Christina McAnea said: “UNISON will be using the opportunity of International Women’s Day in 2023 to celebrate the vital contributions that women in our union make. Their work is often undervalued, so I’m looking forward to meeting women from across UNISON to thank them for everything they do, day in, day out”.

Guests will be able to attend workshops, including historical walking tours of Glasgow and banner making, before enjoying music and entertainment in the evening. 

Register for the event here

Branches will be asked to pay for travel, accommodation and any childcare or elder care required. Childcare at the event will be provided free of charge.

Cleaning supervisor Lyn-Marie O’Hara, who is part of the team organising the event, has been involved in UNISON for 30 years. After joining as a member on her first day of work at Glasgow City Council, she now sits on the union’s national executive council, representing low-paid women in Scotland. 

Ms O’Hara hopes that the event will encourage more low-paid women to become activists within the union: “I know a lot of women work part-time, and they won’t step up to become a steward or activist because they say ‘I can’t do that on top of everything else’, and we say ‘yes, you can, because you’ll get branch support, training and your hand held if you require it.’”

Ms O’Hara was involved in the historic equal pay campaign in Glasgow, when women working in traditionally female jobs such as catering, cleaning and care, found that they were being paid less than men in jobs such as refuse collection.

More than 8,000 union members – overwhelmingly low-paid women – took successful strike action and won pay increases.

Ms O’Hara is looking forward to the event in March: “I’m incredibly proud to be part of UNISON, and I want all low-paid women in the union to know: if I can do it, you can do it. I’m looking forward to welcoming women to our city, and celebrating what we can do when we all band together.”

The article Celebrating working women: UNISON prepares for IWD 2023 first appeared on the UNISON National site.

World Cup: Women prepare for increased domestic abuse

Many people in relationships with abusive partners dread major footballing competitions like the World Cup. This is because they’re linked to an increase in incidents of domestic abuse.

Research by the University of Lancaster shows violent domestic abuse incidents increase by 38% when England loses football matches. Rates are also 26% higher when the team wins or draws.

Domestic abuse consists of a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviours, where one partner seeks to hold power and control over the other’s life. It is a gendered form of abuse, predominantly perpetrated by men against women, which can combine emotional, verbal, psychological, financial, sexual or physical forms of violence.

The severity of domestic abuse can range from consistently critical comments and verbal belittling to physical violence, strangulation and rape.

For survivors of domestic abuse, international football tournaments are too often marked by anxious anticipation of violent incidents at home.

As Women’s Aid made clear during last year’s Euros: “Football doesn’t cause domestic abuse, but a big game can be the catalyst for increasing or more severe abuse”.

Domestic abuse is a workplace issue, and both trade unions and employers have a key responsibility to work together identify workers who may be experiencing domestic abuse in order to support them.

That’s why, for the start of the World Cup, UNISON is publishing revised Domestic Violence and Abuse Guidance and a new document about Ending Violence Against Women.

Throughout this World Cup, both trade union representatives and employers have a key responsibility to support any workers who are experiencing domestic abuse.

Local branch welfare officers may be the first point of contact for members who are experiencing domestic abuse and associated personal, emotional or financial difficulties.

As well as practical support like signposting victims of domestic violence to specialist services or being flexible about time off to sort out a court case or finances, employers can help tackle more deep-seated cultural attitudes that underlie misogyny and violence.

UNISON lobbied successfully for the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 to recognise that domestic abuse can have an impact in the workplace, on victims and their colleagues, and that employers and trade unions can help see the signs of abuse and help prevent it.

UNISON continues to campaign for paid leave for workers experiencing domestic abuse.

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “If you are experiencing domestic abuse, UNISON is on your side. As the UK’s biggest women’s organisation, we know that it’s a statistical reality that many of our members will experience abuse.

“If you are being controlled and abused by your partner or ex-partner, UNISON is here to support you.”

The article World Cup: Women prepare for increased domestic abuse first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Blog: The EU law bill – a Halloween nightmare from Downing Street

It might not be Halloween yet, but yesterday in the House of Commons, MPs debated the Retained EU Law bill, which aims to deregulate workplaces and strip away protections that all UK workers rely on.

A bonfire of employment rights might be the long-cherished dream of right-wing ideologues like Jacob Rees-Mogg, but it’s a nightmare for workers – particularly women. One member told UNISON that these plans were “callous, cruel and despicable”. I agree.

If the bill becomes law, it will start a countdown that will see rights such as rest breaks, holidays, maternity, paternity and parental leave, paid time off for health and safety reps, TUPE protections and more expire by December 2023.

The government will then give itself sweeping powers to rewrite, replace or simply let these rights disappear. There will be little opportunity for parliamentary debate or scrutiny over what these replacements are – if there is any time at all.

Civil servants have expressed concern that there is little capacity to deal with the uncertainty and massive gaps this bill will leave.

Not content with ripping out protections, with no guarantees or credible plans to replace them, the bill would also create chaos in the legal system. It asks UK courts to depart from EU law and principles, which means that decades of legal judgements and case law will have to be re-litigated and reargued, at an immense financial cost to all the workers and employers bringing and defending claims.

The UK’s court system is already under strain with long delays. If this bill becomes law, costs and delays will increase, meaning that only those with deep pockets can re-litigate settled principles. A sense of certainty in the law will be lost.

An attack on working women

This is a double whammy for women’s rights at work. Protections for working women have been developed over decades through a mixture of EU legislation, UK legislation and case law. Separating out those decisions will reverse years of progress for women.

For example, the ability to make equal pay claims for work of equal value done by different sexes, along with the clarity that the case law has brought to this area over many years, will dissolve entirely.

The removal of part-time and fixed-term contract protections, maternity and pregnancy protections, and the removal of family friendly policies that seek to ensure that childcare is not a ‘women’s issue’ alone, is an attack on all working women.

Since the bill was announced, UNISON has heard from hundreds of concerned members, who said what life was like at work before improvements to maternity, paternity and parental leave.

One member commented: “I was working in the 1970s when the men in the office were paid more than the women for doing the same job. Never again!”

Every response had the same message they want me to tell MPs: leave the rights of workers alone unless you are improving them.

The country has seen the chaos that the government have brought to our economy – now they want to tear up certainty in the workplace and in our courts. This cannot be allowed to happen. In the inspiring words of a UNISON member, if the government persists, they must be stopped.

“Remember fighting for the rights of women to vote and Emily Pankhurst? We will all be Emilys!”

If you are concerned about the Retained EU Law Bill, you can have your say here.

The article Blog: The EU law bill – a Halloween nightmare from Downing Street first appeared on the UNISON National site.