The TUC has launched its Manifesto for Disability Equality, which is not a wish list, but a call for action. It is necessary because the government has been getting away for far too long with policies that do the opposite of what ministers claim. They …Read more…
UNISON calls for Robert Gordon University to remove Donald Trump’s honorary degree
Date: Wednesday 9 December 2015
UNISON members working at Robert Gordon University have written to the Principal, Professor Prondzynski, calling on him to remove Donald Trump’s honorary degree because he is reported to have called for "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States" UNISON believes this to be unacceptable. Colin Jones, Robert Gordon UNISON steward said: “Read more…
Is Britain fairer for black and minority ethnic workers?
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) report ‘Is Britain fairer?’ examines the extent to which equality and human rights are improving in Britain. It reveals that the systemic labour market discrimination suffered by black and minority ethnic (BME) workers is still a major feature of…Read more…
The poverty gap between disabled and non-disabled people has got worse
Is Britain fairer for disabled people? No, if you read across all the findings in the report of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published on 30 October, their five-yearly survey into “fairness” in Britain. This will come as no surprise to millions of disabled people living with the…Read more…
#MothersWork campaign will challenge pregnancy discrimination
When David Cameron wooed his party conference with a bold pledge to “end discrimination and finish the fight for real equality in our country”, I had great hopes that the Government would turn its mind to the widespread and growing problem of pregnancy discrimination at work. With evidence showing…Read more…
How to tackle the crisis in mental health
Today (2 November 2015) a letter signed by hundreds of prominent people including Frances O’Grady, General Secretary of the TUC and politicians from all major parties, calls for the autumn statement to ensure that mental health is treated on a par with physical health (requiring much greater…Read more…
Gender pay gap reporting: is it anything more than a policy gimmick?
David Cameron’s attempt to claim Labour territory has included strong messages on the gender pay gap. In his conference speech last week he declared, “I’m a dad of two daughters – opportunity won’t mean anything to them if they grow up in a country where they get paid less because of their gender”….Read more…
Working grandparents, shared parental leave and care
Yesterday, the Chancellor announced that the government will extend shared parental leave (SPL) and pay to working grandparents from 2018 – another policy stolen from Labour’s election manifesto. It is easy to envisage some of the benefits this increased flexibility will bring and political parties…Read more…
LGB statistics confirm social change?
The Office for National Statistics has published the Integrated Household Survey with the findings for 2014 for sexual identity and (bizarrely), smoking. The headline figure suggested that there had been little change in the overall number of people id…Read more…
The Importance of Proofreading: how Trade Union Bill equality analysis admits it lacks supporting data
Today the government has published its equality analysis of the Trade Union Bill. For busy readers who may not have time to read to the end of my blog, let alone the government’s 31 page document, I can reveal that the government’s analysis of its proposals to weaken workers’ rights is that there…Read more…
Checking for discrimination in selection
There are many situations, from recruitment to promotion to redundancies, where employers make selections between people. You often hear people talking about the importance of doing “Equality Impact Assessments” and checking for discrimination, but I’v…Read more…
Tens of thousands of women a year suffer pregnancy discrimination but only a handful enforce their rights
Today, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has published findings from the largest ever survey of the scale of pregnancy discrimination in Britain’s workplaces. Its headline finding: one in nine new mothers is forced out of work each year because of their pregnancy or maternity leave. That’s…Read more…
Unite Rules Conference – day three
The main excitement on Wednesday was motion 2/1 from the Executive Council, which removed “so far as may be lawful from rule “2.1 The objects of the Union shall, as far as may be lawful, be:”. Len McCluskey gave a great speech arguing why it was …Read more…
Equality reps key to fairness at work and must have facility time
UNISON will put equalities at the heart of its bargaining agenda and will campaign with the TUC and through Labour Link for facility time for equality reps. Conference recognised that austerity has rolled back equality successes and significantly increased workplace inequality.
Supporting the motion on Friday on behalf of the NEC, Scotland’s Davena Rankin said, “Maya Angelou once said: ‘It isRead more…
Disabled workers in Great Britain: What now?
The TUC released a comprehensive report today revealing just how little progress for disabled people in the workforce was achieved under the 2010-15 government. The headline employment and unemployment rate figures paint a picture of essential stagnati…Read more…
There’s a long road to true LGBT equality…
Pride in London has issued a call for politicians to support a pledge, a commitment to the steps needed “to make London the best LGBT+ city in the world”. The TUC warmly welcomes this, the first time that Pride in London has done anything like this.
The post There’s a long road to true LGBT…Read more…
Behind the statistics: The impact of government policies on disabled workers
A report from the Public Interest Research Unit on behalf of Disabled People Against Cuts shows the cumulative impact of the Coalition government’s policies on disabled workers in employment. Although the report’s author, Rupert Harwood, acknowledges the self-selecting basis of his study of…Read more…
Change society so women can live free from violence
#stuc15 Gender equality is at the root of violence against women and girls and the STUC will campaign to keep this issue at the heart of the agenda for all public bodies in Scotland. Delegates commended the Scottish Government’s “Equally Safe” strategy and the STUC pledged to lend its full support to groups campaigning to build a Scotland free from violence against women and girls.
SupportingRead more…
Call to challenge gender equality in apprenticeships
#stuc15 The STUC will press the Scottish government to work with them to tackle gender inequality in apprenticeships and to encourage women to take on apprenticeships in under-represented sectors.
Grahame Smith, STUC General Secretary also committed to taking up incidents of abuse in the apprenticeship sector in his capacity as a board member of Skills Development Scotland.
Seconding theRead more…
STUC drive to improve equality
#stuc15 “Ensuring that an organisation reflects the community which it serves is clear proof of its commitment to equality and inclusion,” UNISON’s Priscilla Maramba told delegates, as they backed a CWU motion calling for a review of trade union activists and officials and action to ensure they are reflective of proportionality.
Priscilla added that the greater the equality of representation,Read more…