Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights
The TUC campaigns for equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people at work and in society. The first TUC Lesbian and Gay Conference was held in 1998, since when bisexual and trans rights have been included in the remit. This annual conference elects a committee that advises the TUC and oversees TUC campaigns on LGBT issues.
The TUC LGBT Conference held on 2-3 July 2009 was a lively and constructive event, with the biggest attendance of delegates yet. The sessions were lively and sometimes impassioned, as delegates debated motions on the Equality Bill and the need to campaign for cultural as well as legal change (for example in sports), faith and homophobia, monitoring, hate crimes and the significance of the BNP election wins. Speakers included equalities minister Maria Eagle MP and the TUC-sponsored LGBT TU oral history (Millthorpe) project. A particularly warm welcome was given to Alberto Roque from the Cuban LGBT organisation CENESEX. Speakers from the police, the CPS and LGBT campaign group GALOP led off a plenary discussion on LGBT hate crimes, in which the reluctance of people to report crimes to the police was highlighted. The motions and amendments debated can be read here and a report of the conference is available here. |
The TUC has been involved in all the campaigns to end legal discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity. Great strides have been made in recent years. Following on from the 2003 regulations dealing with sexual orientation discrimination in employment and the Gender Recognition Act 2004, came the Civil Partnership Act 2005 that established (more or less) equal recognition of registered same sex relationships. The TUC and trade unions were heavily involved in campaigning to secure the best possible coverage in these laws, including taking the government to the High Court (2004) over the content of the employment regulations. As a result of our campaigning (in alliance with Stonewall, Labour Campaign for Lesbian and Gay Rights and others), the exemption that threatened to deny equal rights in occupational pension schemes to same sex partners was removed for registered civil partners.
The TUC and many unions were actively involved in a successful campaign to ensure that the Government included a commitment to outlaw discrimination in goods and services in the 2006 Equality Act. This was introduced by regulation in April 2007, despite vigorous opposition from reactionary forces. The TUC worked with others in a successful effort to prevent the Government from allowing exemptions for religious adoption agencies that would have undermined the principle of equality.
Filling in the legal gaps remaining after the 2006 Act – including important issues for trans peoples’ equality – has been the TUC’s objective with the single Equality Bill now working its way through Parliament. The TUC has worked with Government to ensure that full LGBT equality is secured in the comprehensive new legislation.
Great importance in particular is attached to the new law’s creation of a single Equality Duty requiring public bodies to promote equality on all grounds including LGBT for the first time. This may be especially important in education, where the TUC has been coordinating a campaign with education unions and campaigns such as Schools Out! www.schools-out.org.uk, to challenge homophobic and transphobic bullying by challenging the underlying prejudices. There has been good progress in pursuing these goals with ministers and Government departments Advice and Information
The TUC has now published updated guidance for unions taking into account
recent legal changes and current good practice: LGBT
Equality in the Workplace: a TUC guide for union negotiators on lesbian, gay,
bisexual and trans issues can be downloaded from this website.
Its coverage includes advice on monitoring sexual orientation and gender identity as well. The TUC also recommends the advice given by government on trans rights, in the guidance published by the DTI. LGB employment rights can also be checked on the TUC easy online guide to gay work rights.
Also on these pages, you will find information on contact
with union LGBT networks, that now exist in many trade unions, and contact
details for the regional networks for LGBT
trade unionists in every TUC region in England and
Wales. The TUC also supports the LGBT History Month project. Following the
success of a series of events every year since 2005, unions can start planning
for activities next year by checking the link (LGBT
History Month.)
To find out how to support the TUC campaign for full equality, contact [Peter
Purton] on 020 7467 1271
The most recent documents available on this subject are:
SERTUC LGBT NETWORK Presents: LGBT History Month Film Night 25th February
Screening four new shorts, showcasing the diversity and creativity of LGBT communities in the Region.
9 February 2010
Focusing on bisexual trade unionists
The results of a TUC survey and recommendations for change
PDF version available for download
8 February 2010
TUC calls for end to discrimination and hatred on Holocaust Memorial Day
The TUC is calling for an end to discrimination and prejudice on Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) today (Wednesday).
27 January 2010
LGBT Equality Newsletter no.12
The winter 2009/10 edition contains reports on the Ladele case, the Equality Bill, tackling trans- and homophobia in sport, other national and international news and much more.
PDF version available for download
21 December 2009
New alliance to tackle homophobia in football
The TUC today (Thursday) announced a new alliance of unions and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) campaigners to tackle the prejudice faced by LGBT people in football.
10 December 2009
TUC warns spread of far right across Europe could increase gay hate crimes
In a speech to the 12th annual TUC LGBT conference later today (Thursday), TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber will celebrate recent advances in lesbian and gay equality but warn there's still a long way to go before social attitudes catch up with changes in the law.
2 July 2009
| Older documents - 62 |  |
Back to Equality.