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date: 23 November 2009

embargo: 00.01hrs Tuesday 24 November 2009

Rights of all LGBT workers must be protected in Equality Bill

The TUC is supporting a meeting on the religious exemptions to the Equality Bill at the House of Commons tomorrow (Tuesday).

The launch meeting of Cutting Edge Consortium will provide a forum for progressive faith and secular organisations - including many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) faith groups from different religious traditions - to discuss the exemptions.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'Government legislation which recognises the diversity of the workforce is to be welcomed.

'However, the rights of LGBT union members who work for faith schools and religious organisations must be protected.

'Teachers, education support staff, employees of faith based charities and other religious organisations, all deserve equal rights at work, regardless of their sexuality.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- The meeting will be held from 7-9pm tomorrow (Tuesday) at the House of Commons. For more information please contact Maria Exall on 07714 206404.

- The Cutting Edge Consortium was formed following the successful 2009 Faith, Homophobia, Transphobia and Human Rights conference which was sponsored by the TUC and supported by LGBT trade union groups.

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

- Register for the TUC's press extranet: a service exclusive to journalists wanting to access pre-embargo releases and reports from the TUC. Visit www.tuc.org.uk/pressextranet

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk
Elly Brenchley T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07900 910624 E: ebrenchley@tuc.org.uk

Press release (300 words) issued 24 Nov 2009