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UNISON L&G News for the West
Midlands
June 2005
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(click on the links below for the article you'd like to read) Blocked Access to web-sites in Schools Rights for transgendered people ... at last! Are you online and want to keep up to date? Yep, it’s back, at this year’s National Delegates Conference, once again the rule change will be debated. Years of consultation have taken place. Lesbian and gay members along with bisexual and transgendered members are calling for our self-organised group to organise along different lines. Last year, to our shock and dismay, Branches across our region voted against the change. Some members agreed with the rule change but then voted against it, in the confusion! This year, let there be no confusion. You need to talk to the delegates from your Branch, ask them how they plan to vote on Motion 42 and the rule change, talk to them about the lengthy consultation process, how UNISON is lagging behind other unions and organisations with our outdated approach, tell them how much need there is to ensure a voice for these members within the self-organised structures. We really need your help, if you are stuck there are excellent resources available at http://www.unison.org.uk/out/lgbt/index.asp to help you win the arguments. Let’s face it, we really need to win the arguments this year.
At last year’s Lesbian & Gay Conference a Motion was passed on the subject of e-communication. It called for “regions to provide UNISON’s Membership Participation Unit with e-mail addresses of groups, which we can circulate UNISON mailings to, which may encourage members to join UNISON.” Do you know of any groups which we could pass on to the UNISON Membership Participation Unit? Perhaps you are a member of a group or know of someone else who is. Disseminating information about the work of our union to other organisations could be a good way to recruit members to UNISON. Please get in touch using the contact details. Don’t forget you can sign up for the e-bulletin yourself - why not go to: http://www.unison.org.uk/news/mailinglist.asp scroll down to the Lesbian & Gay mailing list and subscribe to receive regular updates from the UNISON’s L&G Campaign Nationally Bryony O’Hara
Blocked Access to web-sites in Schools School and Local Government firewalls are intended to block pornography, but unfortunately they often exclude appropriate web-sites for young lesbians, gay men and their peers. Connexions staff, youth workers and teaching assistants are often disadvantaged when they are trying to help young lesbians and gay men because of the way information access is blocked. Most firewall provision comes from software developed at a national level and so this is often used as an excuse at local levels to do nothing to help. The National Lesbian & Gay Committee is currently working with national service groups to raise the matter of internet access to suitable sites for young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people as a negotiating issue. If you have examples of how blocked access has hindered your work in a school or youth work environment please contact Carola Towle, National Lesbian & Gay Officer at UNISON Bryony O’Hara
Last year’s Lesbian & Gay Conference recognised the importance of life-long learning advisers, union learning reps, and lay tutors when it passed the motion entitled Organising for Learning. It is important that as many LGBT members are involved in not only receiving learning through UNISON’s excellent training programmes, but in the delivery of training. The 2002 Employment Act gave Lifelong Learning Advisers and Union Learning Representatives the same statutory rights as Stewards and Health & Safety Representatives. So you would be protected within your workplace if you do decide to get involved so why not contact your Branch or Fred Cattle Regional Officer on 0121 685 3100 to find out more. Bryony O’Hara. Newsletter Editor.
Rights for transgendered people ... at last! A transgender person is someone who has a deep conviction that their gender (whether they are a man or a women) is different from the sex they were assigned at birth. Most transgender people wish to change their name and personal details and live as a member of the gender with which they identify. This may involve hormone therapy and surgery. The process is referred to as ‘gender reassignment’ or ‘transitioning’. The Gender Recognition Act 2004, which comes into force on 4 April 2005, means people can gain legal recognition for their acquired gender. The Act also includes measures to protect people’s privacy. Applications for gender recognition will be heard by Gender Recognition Panels. Panels will first consider ‘fast track applications’ – for people who transitioned at least six years ago. Panels will first consider ‘fast track applications’ – for people who transitioned at least six years ago. Fast track applications may be made now at http://www.grp.gov.uk. Application packs for the standard process will be available in July 2005 and Panels will start considering these in October 2005. Many transgender workers face discrimination in the workplace, both when going through the process of gender reassignment and afterwards. UNISON believes that transgender people have the right to equal treatment, protection from discrimination and full support from the union. Transgender members have the right not to be discriminated against by UNISON policies, practices, members or officers. Allegations of discrimination will be taken very seriously. It is important that Branches examine their practice as there is much to learn from the new legislation. Branches should ensure that transgender workers are treated as the gender they identify as, irrespective of legal sex. Transgender workers should have equal rights and equal access to benefits, including equal recognition of their partner and family. But further, UNISON believes that no one should be discriminated against on grounds of marital status. All should have equal rights and access to benefits, whether married or unmarried and whether their partner is of the opposite or same sex. Branches should make sure that where equal opportunities policies refer to discrimination on grounds of sex they specifically include discrimination on grounds of gender identity and gender reassignment. It is also important that job adverts state that applications from transgender people are welcome. Branches should also make sure that personnel records for transgender people do not refer to a previous name, and records made prior to a change of name are updated. Breaches of confidentiality should be treated in a serious manner and may amount to harassment. Information from National UNISON web-site more detailed information is available at http://www.unison.org.uk/out/doc_view.asp?did=1260 or go to lesbian and gay pages and follow the link to All Documents on the right side column from there click on Bargaining For Transgender Workers' Rights.
Wolverhampton Branch If you are interested in getting involved or simply learning more about Wolverhampton Branch Group please contact Bob Deacon on 01902 or Sally Clayton on 07970 529130.
This year we are aiming to produce the Regional L&G /LGBT newsletter bi-monthly. Future editions will be distributed in August, October and December. If you would like to contribute then the copy deadline is the first of the preceding month, so if you want to get an article into the August edition then please can you send it to the Regional Office by 1st July. Thanks, hope to hear from you. Bryony
Are you online and want to keep up to date? Why not go to: http://www.unison.org.uk/news/mailinglist.asp scroll down to the Lesbian & Gay mailing list and subscribe to receive regular updates from the UNISON’s L&G Campaign Nationally.
Hello and welcome back to my column. If you have not read my column before my name is Oscar and I am a border collie. I was disappointed to hear that Wolves pride may not happen this year, I would have liked to have gone to that one. Of course Brum Pride was at the end of May (I am guessing this is aimed at Motorbikers) although I seemed to have heard lots of visitors to my house saying they were going and not so much as one motorbike between them. Pride events seem to be about getting together and having a good time and celebrating who we are. Of course I have heard the gossip and nearly everyone I saw in the weeks leading up to Brum Pride was talking about who they were going to see there. It must be huge, millions of lesbians and gay men from the West Midlands must go. Everyone was talking about all these “exes” they might meet. Or perhaps all the exes are the same small group of people... I wonder??....
UNISON
Contact
Pearline Parker 0121 685 3192 The opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of UNISON or any of its officers.
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