1 Summer 2017 Issue 62

OUR PUBLIC SERVICE CHAMPIONS Public services are at the heart of a healthy, fair and thriving society. After nearly 10 years of cuts, we know how hard it can be to provide good quality, effective public services. In this issue of Out LGBT in UNISON, members talk about their jobs, the difference they make and the challenges they face.

UNISON LGBT MEMBERS EQUALITY UNISON LGBT MEMBERS 2 EQUALITY OUR PUBLIC SERVICE CHAMPIONS

Our Public Service Champions campaign celebrates the vital jobs UNISON members do and what a difference they make to people’s lives. We need to win over public opinion in favour of proper investment in public services.

I’ve been a care worker for over ten years, looking after people in their own homes. It’s a very rewarding job. You come across such a range of people, helping them get back on their feet so they can manage on their own again. There’s also a lot of complex cases such as stroke patients and palliative care. When elderly LGBT people see my rainbow lanyard, I can see how it puts them at their ease.

I’m now on full-time release as branch secretary. Being visible in my rainbow lanyard is important for that too. LGBT members can see I’m approachable if they’re worried about anything. We’re facing a lot of issues at the moment. We haven’t had a decent pay rise for about seven years. It’s very hard for our staff as the cost of living keeps rising. And there’s a massive issue over shortages of nursing staff. We have had some wins. They introduced clocking in and out for our lowest paid staff only, no-one else. We ran a major campaign – it’s all about equality Gillian Foley, in the workplace – and the clocking in machines were removed! domiciliary care worker, County Down Northern We all need trade unions and UNISON is by far the best. It’s important for LGBT Ireland officers to be out on the ground and visible, to give LGBT people confidence to come forward and get involved.

I work for an NHS Trust on a community crisis response team. My role is preventing hospital admission, where possible. I assess patients and prescribed medication from a set formula. Some patients, carers or families may just need advice or support. We take referrals from GPs, London Ambulance Service, care homes and all community nursing services.

I am proud of my job - I have nearly 33 years experience as a nurse. I have only ever worked for the NHS and respect its principles of origin. This job brings me in contact with patients with an urgent need. It’s responsive, problem solving and can be unpredictable.

The biggest problem we face is money!!! Many NHS Trusts are in deficit. There are systems that could improve productivity in terms of numbers of patients visited and Jaden Biggs, reducing time spent on report writing. For example in community nursing, ipads can advanced nurse speed up assessments, ordering of equipment, documentation. It costs to invest in practitioner, London digital methods of working. But despite not having the most up to date resources, nothing gets in the way of me doing the best I can. UNISON LGBT MEMBERS UNISON GIVING LGBT MEMBERS A VOICE 3 EQUALITY

In my substantive post I managed a range of leisure sites and sports and leisure projects. Over the years these have included a child obesity programme in partnership with public health, an after school programme for disabled children and their parents, and a project to make our services and facilities more dementia friendly. Sports and leisure isn’t just about people who want to play badminton or go swimming. I’m proud to know that what I do makes a difference to people’s lives – their physical and mental health.

I’ve been in sports and leisure for over 30 years. About a year ago, I took the chance to go on full-time release for my branch. It’s a challenge and an opportunity! In both my roles – for the council and the branch – the biggest challenge is austerity. Ever decreasing budgets, constant restructuring, the employer clamping down on sickness management. It’s really hard to keep the workforce motivated. We have to Jennifer Black, hope for some stability, when we finally get out of this cycle of cuts. operational manager, sports and leisure, North The bottom line is that people who work in public services want to do a good job – Tyneside they always want to do the best they can for their community. It’s just the ethos of our people.

My trading standards team advise businesses about the safety of products. We deal with consumer complaints on all aspects of buying goods and services, whether it’s online, in shops or getting your car serviced. We investigate and if necessary we prosecute.

I’m very proud of my job. Every day I make a difference by helping traders comply with consumer laws and helping consumers get a good deal. We want to make sure the good traders thrive and consumers buy goods they know are safe. We stop dodgy practices and rogue traders undercutting others. If it’s unchallenged, vulnerable consumers can be ripped off gradually for what ends up being thousands and thousands of pounds.

The main difficulty we face is because of a recruitment freeze due to budget cuts. Anu Prashar, Even though we’re a statutory service, we’re not seen as saving lives. We do the best senior prosecutor, trading we can, but it’s taking its toll. The knock on effect will be felt down the line when standards, London dangerous goods are on sale unchecked.

I work for a company providing gas and electricity to the public. I started in a call centre eighteen years ago. I became the branch health and safety officer and that led to my current role as full-time health and safety advisor. Our strategy is to ensure zero harm to our employees, contractors and members of the public. A wrongly wired electricity meter could mean the customer being killed when they turn on their tap. We work to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. We set up learning for school groups and at public events like the Royal Highland Show. We use pyrotechnics to simulate what happens if a digger hits an overhead cable. We want people to go home safe from work every night and be safe in their homes.

The challenge is getting people to change their behaviours. Until they have an accident, they are blithe to everyday dangers. We’ve spent a long time getting people to be aware of safety. The last Tory government were trying to minimise health and William Docherty, safety laws, which encourages the public to adopt the attitude that it’s not important. energy worker, Glasgow We’ll see more accidents and fatalities so it’s vital that we continue to organise for health and safety every day. UNISON LGBT MEMBERS 44 EQUALITY

I’m proud of my job - libraries are free and open to everyone. You could be a tramp or a member of parliament, you’ll be treated the same and we don’t ask anything of you. As a librarian, you never stop learning. It’s never boring. It’s about making a connection with a child or young person, working out the best way to draw them in, helping them join the world of book lovers.

Libraries don’t censor. They’re unbiased and you won’t find fake news in them! We don’t discriminate and we are a safe environment. If a child wants to read something that isn’t on their family reading list, the family aren’t going to hear about it from us.

The main challenge we face is cuts. England got them first and now Wales is following. Staff are under pressure. We are getting less training, morale is low and we Gillian Southby, are feeling devalued. children and young people’s librarian, Vale of Libraries aren’t only about taking books home and having a library ticket. We are a Glamorgan social institution. We’ve adapted and changed over the years, but we’ve always been there and we are free. This is all being undermined. The government is entrenching inequality. It is a human right to be able to read and children who can’t are being failed.

I work mainly with older adults, as a best interest assessor. I see people when they are really vulnerable for one reason or another. They need me to listen to their perspective – how they want to live their life. Most people want independence in their own home. They come with lots of anxieties and fears about their health or disability and how to talk to a stranger about what are often very intimate issues.

I support them to live the life they choose, helping them get their voice heard and building the team they need around them to live independently. Funding cuts mean it’s increasingly hard to bridge the gaps in these support teams. But we can still make all the difference in transforming people’s lives.

Jennie Antonio, adult social worker, Birmingham

I’m based in the university students union. I encourage students to volunteer in the community, sorting out placements for them and helping them set up their own projects. I really enjoy it. I see the difference in the individuals I support and mentor in terms of their mental health and other issues. It also makes a big difference to the charities who get the volunteers. They are facing increased demands for their services as other services are cut. They rely increasingly on volunteers to meet the demand.

Ryan Frankland, students union volunteer coordinator, Leeds UNISON LGBT MEMBERS UNISON GIVING LGBT MEMBERS A VOICE 5 EQUALITY Involving branches in pride events We’re now well into pride season. recruitment as a main priority. an opinion column expressed the With events growing in number year What better way than in a party wish that LGBT people would just on year, there are now more prides atmosphere on a lovely sunny shut up. Amongst other offensive than there are weekends! Very few day. It’s a win-win for the branch. passages it said ‘Enjoy yourselves, are national events. Though some They recruit members and if some especially if you’d prefer not to say cities (Manchester, Birmingham are potential activists in self- what you’re enjoying yourselves and Brighton to name but a few) organisation, that’s the icing on the with. But do you think the rest of have huge prides, most are smaller cake. you could shut up as well? You and community based. Regional can’t open a paper or tune into LGBT groups cover as many as See the story below of what one Woman’s Hour without somebody they can, but what makes the branch has done. feeling constrained to tell the world biggest difference is when the local that he is now a she, or they’re gay branches get fully involved. It only takes one member to or bi or have discovered the joy of suggest that the branch run a stall tantric sex with a lamppost.’ The majority of people attending at a pride event. these events are from the This – you will be glad to know – same community, so it is fertile Could you be that member? was met with a storm of outrage recruitment ground. Branches and the columnist resigned. Soon recognise the importance of being after, the pride committee held their seen in the community. They A Rainbow Ryde launch event at a local pub. The know the local issues and local The Isle of Wight is holding its evening was an amazing success employers. They can talk about first LGBT pride on Saturday 15 - 218 people attended, which is what the branch is doing around July in Ryde. The UNISON branch massive for the Island. They raised these local issues. They can link up equalities co-coordinator, Yve White, over £1,000 and were well on their with local campaign groups to make is secretary of the pride committee. way with volunteers and supporters. an even bigger impact. UNISON has been involved from the start and is a rainbow sponsor. Two members of the pride An activity around a local issue is a committee ran equality training for great way to encourage people to No pride is without its drama in the the newspaper staff and the paper stop and engage with the UNISON planning. But in Yve’s words, this has now been very supportive, stall, along with the branch’s one has really been quite a ride. providing free advertising and promotional items they use for wanting to help make pride a recruitment drives. LGBT targeted When they first announced the positive event for the Island. materials are easily downloaded event, the Island’s newspaper from unison.org.uk/out or ordered covered it in neutrally supportive The committee and volunteers from the online catalogue. terms. But the following week, had a few months to focus on

Branches can become community sponsors - a little bit of sponsorship can result in a lot of exposure for UNISON. It may be sponsoring the stewards’ t-shirts (with UNISON branding), paying for the stage or even the loos! It’s a great chance to give the branch banner an outing, flying next to the stage or the UNISON stall.

All branches are encouraged Photo: Style of Wight magazine to promote equality and keep Pride Committee on Ryde beach. UNISON LGBT BS 6 ULIT planning and fund-raising before Want to come to LGBT conference? the next storm broke. Late in April, the Island’s long-serving Tory By Asha Wolfe-Robinson, is restricted to working members, MP, Andrew Turner, was doing a National LGBT Committee but it benefits us all if retired question and answer session with members stay involved. A-level students at Christ the King This year’s UNISON LGBT College in Newport. One of the conference is in Brighton on 17 - Last year’s conference asked students, Esther Poucher, asked if 19 November. Hundreds of LGBT experienced members to consider he would be attending the Island’s UNISON members debate our relinquishing delegate positions pride. He said he’d been invited issues and influence UNISON’s in favour of young members from but wouldn’t be going because he thinking on LGBT equality. If their branch. This could also thought that homosexuality was you’ve not been before, I highly encourage others who have not ‘wrong’ and ‘dangerous to society’. recommend it! been before. The more experienced Esther Poucher used social media delegates can still attend as visitors to great effect, publicising what he’d So how do I get to go to and mentor newer/inexperienced said. Within hours, he announced conference? delegates. Although branches are that he would no longer be standing welcome to send ten delegates, it’s in the general election. Most people attend as delegates more common for them to send 2 from their branch. Each branch or 3. There have also been innumerable can send up to 10 delegates and positive stories – of generosity, as many visitors as they want. If the same people attend every friendship, inclusion and the most There are also two delegates year from your branch, why is this? exciting plans for a truly fabulous from each regional LGBT group, Is it because there are no other weekend this summer. It’s free but the other national self-organised out activists? Other people may you need to register in advance to groups, young members and well express an interest if the usual attend at www.iwpride.org If you retired members, plus members of delegates step aside, though you can’t make it, look out for reports. the national LGBT committee and will need to advertise in plenty of standing orders committee. time to encourage people to come The final word goes to the Isle of forward. Wight pride organisers: What’s the difference between a delegate and a visitor? How do I apply? ‘Pride events are a strong reminder There’s not as much difference to those who identify as LGBTQ If you want to be a delegate, between delegates and visitors as who have lived through countless speak to your branch now. All there are at some conferences. All historical struggles including branches are urged to send delegates and visitors are welcome criminalisation of homosexuality, members. Registrations close on 22 in every session of the conference the AIDS epidemic, Section 28, and September but the branch needs – ‘plenary’ sessions where motions the prejudice and abuse felt by so time to agree its delegation (in are debated, workshops, caucus many as they struggle to take pride consultation with the branch LGBT meetings, socials and everything in who they were born to be. Isle group, where there is one) so don’t in between. Visitors can participate of Wight Pride is an opportunity to delay. fully in every part of this except the celebrate and take pride in how far plenary sessions, where they are we have come, how proud we are If you need help with this, get in more like observers. Only delegates of our beautiful Island but also, just touch with the officer contact for can vote on motions and speak in as importantly, highlight the work your regional LGBT group – they these formal debates. that still needs to be done. Isle of can assist. Their details are at Wight Pride will be a celebration. It unison.org.uk/out, click on group So why attend as a visitor? is a chance for us to stand together structure and contacts. whether we are lesbian, gay, There are lots of good reasons to bisexual, transgender or straight as attend as a visitor, rather than a Hope to see you at conference! an Island community, to show that delegate. It can be a great way to Love Wins over hatred, intolerance get a feel for conference, if it’s your The conference bulletin with all and prejudice.’ first time. Retired members can only details of how to attend is online attend as visitors (apart from their at unison.org.uk/events/2017- two nationally elected reps). Like lgbt-conference other UNISON conferences, voting UNISON LGBT BS UNISON GIVING LGBT MEMBERS A VOICE 7 ULIT Overcoming #hate

Social media can be a wonderful bathroom use, quote marks placed However, I did not foresee this tool to build communities and around female gender words and huge amount of such personal campaigns and strengthen our many other forms. abuse and the effect that it would social connections. We have on me. Twelve years after I use it more and more in It was utterly vile, dehumanising transitioned and confident in my life UNISON. But its power bile, aimed at reducing transgender as a woman, it suddenly felt like the has a flip side. It can people to objects of ridicule or nation had passed its judgement on spread messages of denying our very existence. The me and despite some supportive hate just as swiftly as amount and tone of the abuse was wise advice about ignoring this tiny messages of hope. We such that the online LGBT news minority of anachronistic bigots, for must build it into our site Pink News published an article a few days afterwards I felt broken. work on identifying and under the headline “Dozens of challenging hate. This trolls target ‘tr***y’ Question Time There has been so much wonderful was brought home to audience member with transphobic social progress over the last decade us all too sharply when slurs” [they used the T word in full – for transgender people and as a branch secretary Jenny Harvey was we don’t reprint it here]. regular user (@jenksy) I still believe attacked earlier this year. that the positives of twitter outweigh I’ve always felt the very best the negatives. That said, we must Jenny picks up the story... thing about being a member of strive harder than ever against any UNISON and its LGBT group is the backlash, call out the ignorance In February, I was lucky enough comradeship and companionship, and fight the hate wherever and to be in the audience for BBCTV but at that very moment, under whenever it surfaces. Social media Question Time broadcast live the half glow of my dashboard, should never be a safe haven for the day of the Stoke Central by slow steady splatter of rain on the unchallenged transphobia. election. Determined to contribute, windscreen spooling through this I successfully managed to catch hashtag of hatred, I have never felt David Dimbleby’s eye to have more alone. There’s growing awareness my say on UKIP’s failure to win and action against abuse on in Stoke. It was a fascinating The next day, a producer from social media. You can’t always experience and I still recommend the BBC got in touch to tell me prevent it but be clear – you it to anyone who gets the chance that they monitor the #BBCQT are not alone, it’s unacceptable despite what is to follow. feed and wanted to check on my welfare. They also put me in touch and it may well be a hate crime. There are brilliant organisations Sat in the car park of Staffs with a press officer to provide working to tackle it. If you see or University at midnight, just after some guidance particularly if any receive an abusive tweet about the programme had finished airing of the newspapers got in touch. LGBT people, tell @GalopUK or and still slightly buzzing from the I appreciated their support, but report it on their website galop. experience I opened twitter on my did suggest to them, that as org.uk/report-hate phone and searched back through they promote the hashtag on the Trans Media Watch provides the #BBCQT hashtag (at that time programme, they should think about advice and support to trans and of the week the most viewed twitter making audience members more intersex people dealing with the feed), curious as to whether my aware of the potential for social media, including when things go comments had elicited any reaction. media abuse. wrong. See transmediawatch. org/harassment What I saw sank my heart to the It is true that I had expected some very soles of my feet. A huge negativity. After all, I was having a We all need to be cybersmart. succession of tweets about me, go at UKIP on national television. Check your social media settings examples of which included; I also recalled online comments a regularly. It’s a good idea to start TV screenshots accompanied few years ago under a feature about with maximum privacy settings by text such as “what the **** is me in the local newspaper, the best and take it from there. Say no to that”, tweets using the pejorative of which brilliantly described me hate and if you see it, report it! term “tr***y” often prefaced by as “just another factor why Britain “fat”, gross speculation about my is on a slippery slope to oblivion”. UNISON LGBT MEMBERS 8 EQUALITY Working Out in UNISON together in Pass notes Subject: pronouns UNISON Meaning: A word used to refer to a person instead of their name/another noun. By Eileen Best, North West regional LGBT group Examples: We, they, you, she, someone - as in The North West and Yorkshire and Humberside regional ‘Where’s Alex? They’re getting a drink.’ LGBT groups came together to work alongside “Just a Ball Game?” and support a charity football match Appearance: strong roots but evolving during LGBT history month. GPF moneys were obtained in order to provide a UNISON LGBT branded kit, a So you’re running a grammar column now? That venue and prizes for participants. really takes the biscuit. This isn’t grammar – it’s gender politics. Fortunately, “Just a Ball Game?” have a strong relationship with Bradford City Football Club’s LGBT This had better be good... group and so were able to use their ground for the Bear with us. When someone’s pregnant, they get match which greatly assisted in raising the profile asked ‘Do you know what you’re having?’. Take it at of the event. “Just A Ball Game?” had an all-star face value and it’s a ridiculous question. Of course they lineup including ex-professional players and TV know they’re having a baby. But what the questioner moguls, alongside local LGBT football fans and other means is ‘Are you having a girl or a boy?’. Before the supporters. The team played against “AFA Charity” baby is even ready to be born, people are trying to put which looks at raising awareness around autism; their it into a binary gender – male or female – each with team also donned their fair share of famous faces! a whole set of assumptions about who and how that person will be. The aim of the match was to raise the profile of LGBT people who participate in football and show how local And your point is? communities can come together to show support for Have you checked the gender pay gap recently? each other. A third charity involved on the day with Expressions like ‘Man up’ or ‘Stop acting like a girl’ tell players and supporters (in numbers) was “Mind The us a lot. It’s definitely not a case of different but equal. Gap” - an acting charity for learning-disabled people. What’s this got to do with pronouns? Following the match a local band “The Good Citizens” A lot of the time people use gendered pronouns, he provided entertainment and more celebrations with and she. Whatever our gender politics, few of us trophy presentations. There was over £200 collected appreciate being misgendered. You’re a big woman for the charity and both regional UNISON LGBT groups with short hair and you get called Sir or asked what were thanked during these celebrations. The match was you’re doing in the women’s toilets. Your voice featured by local press and television. In terms of raising doesn’t fit the stereotype for your gender and the the profile of both groups this event was a huge success. person answering your phone query makes the wrong assumption. We are ecstatic to share that we have been successful in our GPF bid to hold the event again next year. We What’s the big deal? are looking forward to an even bigger and better event, If it happens once – no big deal. If it happens a lot, it aiming to raise our profile and RECRUIT, RECRUIT, can seriously mess with your mojo. RECRUIT! Surely people don’t mean to be offensive ... For more information on the organisations mentioned Usually it’s ignorance or thoughtlessness. Sometimes see: it’s malicious. That’s nasty. The perpetrator may hide Just a ball game? – justaballgame.co.uk behind pretending it was a joke, but it’s never funny. Bradford City FC – bradfordcityfc.co.uk In fact, deliberate misgendering is likely to be unlawful AFA Charity – actionforaspergers.org.uk discrimination. Mind the Gap – mind-the-gap.org.uk UNISON LGBT MEMBERS UNISON GIVING LGBT MEMBERS A VOICE 9 EQUALITY

That’s fair enough – but what if it’s a simple become the first place in the UK to routinely offer PrEP mistake? to eligible patients. HIV Scotland believes the use of We should all try not to make mistakes. If you do get it PrEP has played a part in reducing the number of HIV wrong – apologise. You don’t need to make a song and infections in Scotland. dance of it, just get it right next time. The latest figures from Health Protection Scotland show What if you don’t know what pronoun to use? 285 new cases of HIV were reported in 2016, down Ask the person who does know – the person from an annual average of 359 over the last ten years. concerned. Be sensitive to context – work, service user or social. Is it one to one (probably best) or public. In I am one of about a couple of dozen people in Scotland groups, it’s increasingly common to invite everyone to already thought to be buying generic versions of PrEP give their preferred pronoun, if they wish, along with online. I started taking it at the turn of the year. I’d their name, when they introduce themselves. This been thinking about it for some time and had been avoids assumptions or singling people out. reading up on PrEP and what that means for people. It is essentially a preventative treatment for HIV and it What about non-binary people - who don’t identify seemed the natural way to move forward. as simply male or female? Glad you asked that. To be inclusive of non-binary You come into contact with people throughout your people, avoid expressions that assume everyone is life. You don’t know their history. You want to protect either he or she. Most non-binary people use ‘they’ as yourself and it seemed like the appropriate thing to their preferred pronoun. do. Funding PrEP on the NHS seems to me to be a no brainer. If we prevent all new infections based on the Isn’t that a bit awkward? current rate, over the next ten years, that will save It may seem so at first, but you’ll quickly get used to it. 1.3 billion pounds to the NHS in Scotland. It’s nothing new. Chaucer and Shakespeare used they as a singular pronoun. Jane Austen used it 75 times in I am delighted that Scotland is again leading the way Pride and Prejudice. Check the example at the top of in preventative medicine, and hope that PrEP will be this column – that wasn’t so bad, was it? available in the next few months to at risk groups.

Don’t say The manufacturer of Truvada, Gilead, applied to the Are you a she or a he? SMC after they were urged to do so by the Scottish Government last year. It followed a series of legal Do say battles in England, led by the National AIDS Trust, Hi – what’s your preferred pronoun? over whether the NHS or local authorities should pay for the medication. The Court of Appeal eventually ruled that NHS England had the power to fund the drug. The decision did not mean that NHS England “Game- had to fund PrEP but in December it announced plans for a large scale clinical trial of the drug, expected to involve 10,000 participants over three years. The Welsh changing” government has announced a similar trial for Wales. drug to be made available UNISON continues to push for PrEP to be available in Scotland on the NHS to all those at highest risk of HIV By Watty Gaffney, infection. Find out more at UNISON Scotland LGBT nat.org.uk and tht.org.uk committee

The Scottish Medicines Contact us All information on UNISON LGBT equality is at Consortium has agreed to unison.org.uk/out approve Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis treatment, which is known as Email [email protected] with queries. PrEP, across Scotland on the NHS. Trouble at work? Contact your UNISON rep. Scientists have found that a daily dose of the drug can For details of your local rep, your regional LGBT group protect people at risk of contracting HIV. Scotland will or to join UNISON, call 0800 0 857 857 UNISON LGBT MEMBERS 10 EQUALITY The LGBT voice in UNISON UNISON’s NEC – the most senior members of NEC strategic building. So reserved seats for elected body in our union – committees through our LGBT members would be elected represents us all. It’s made up from membership of the Equality by the whole membership – elected regional and service groups reps, Liaison Committee mainly by members who are not with guaranteed numbers of women LGBT themselves. and low paid members, plus seats • Direct LGBT references to NEC reserved for Black, disabled and strategic committees NEC members elected to these reserved seats would not be young members. • Seats on national delegations accountable back to the self- This begs the question – why no • Membership of working parties organised group and may indeed reserved seats for LGBT members? and review groups hold different views to the self- The LGBT self-organised group has organised group. • Submission and representation discussed this and overwhelmingly rights at all UNISON concluded it’s not an avenue we We supported reserved seats conferences. want to go down. We work to for Black members and young increase LGBT involvement and members as this was the only way It’s important to us to represent the visibility across the union, but the for them to get ANY representation diversity of LGBT members. Our voice of LGBT members is the voice on the NEC initially. This is not national networks of bi and trans of the LGBT self-organised group the case for LGBT members. A members and of Black and disabled itself. number of LGBT members have LGBT members are represented been elected to the NEC over the on the national LGBT committee LGBT members believe in self- years, the figure regularly being and submit motions to our annual organisation. As it says in UNISON’s over 5% for out members. There conference. Women’s representation rules, we meet to identify and agree have not been any out trans NEC is also guaranteed in our group. policy on LGBT equality and the members yet but trans activists hold equality dimension of UNISON a number of other senior activist Within LGBT self-organisation, priorities and objectives. We do positions. We work to increase this LGBT members elect the this at our conference and in our number and the visibility of LGBT representatives of LGBT members branch, regional and national LGBT members in senior positions across – who are then accountable back groups. Our group is the democratic the union. The rainbow lanyards are to the LGBT members that elected representative of LGBT members in increasing! them. UNISON. NEC members are elected by the We get our voice heard through: general membership. UNISON membership data cannot yet • Regular meetings with the differentiate all LGBT members. presidential team and senior Monitoring information is only slowly

Calendar of events 2017

July 7 – 9 Sparkle August 10 – 13 BiCon July 8 London Pride September 14 UNISON national Black LGBT July 9 UK Black Pride members network meeting July 14 UNISON national trans network September 15 UNISON national disabled LGBT meeting (morning) members network meeting July 14 UNISON national bi network September 23 Bi Visibility Day meeting (afternoon) November 17 – 19 UNISON LGBT conference July 21-23 National trans pride November 20 Transgender Day of July 22 UK Pride - Hull Remembrance UNISON LGBT MEMBERS UNISON GIVING LGBT MEMBERS A VOICE 11 EQUALITY No Fly Zone By Dettie Gould, towel on Baruch look now? Or that UNISON CAFCASS branch diving trip to Eilat?

When I was younger, my friends So that’s why I’m not going on a used to joke that I had more hop to the Holy Land. Neither am I stamps in my passport than Judith going to Tel Aviv Pride - there is no Chalmers (for those old enough to pride in Israeli apartheid. I did it for remember the programme ‘Wish South Africa under apartheid and I you were here’) And even after the will do it for Palestine. For a summer thousands of miles I’ve clocked on of solidarity as well as suntan let us boats planes and trains, there are say Palestine Solidarity and No to still plenty of places I want to see. Pinkwashing. And no to my travel However there is one place that’s tags saying ‘destination Israel’. crossed from my wish list - one place I will never enter into my last minute hotel search engines - and UNISON has produced an that’s Israel. I’m asking anyone exhibition and information considering travelling there on booklet looking at the impact holiday to change your mind too. of 50 years of the illegal Israeli boycott, divestment and sanctions occupation on Palestinian Why am I trying to tell you where campaign shows companies that workers. It examines how to get your well earned R&R this profiting from occupation and restrictions imposed by the Israeli summer? It’s simple - the Israeli discrimination is not acceptable. government continue to destroy government is pushing a policy homes, damage livelihoods of illegal settlements. It’s openly What’s particularly insidious and limit access to essential structuring a crushing system of for readers here is the Israeli services. The illegal occupation apartheid that tramples the human government’s PR strategy of of Palestine is not a necessity; rights of Palestinians and fails to ‘pinkwashing’. Pinkwashing is a it is a political decision that has recognise the right for Palestine to cynical attempt to market Israel as denied the rights of millions of exist. a liberal supporter of LGBT rights people. UNISON supports the to divert attention from their human Palestinian people’s right to self What has that got to do with your rights crimes against Palestinians. determination, and recognises sun, sea and sangria plans? Pinkwashing plays on racist that lasting peace depends on stereotypes – that Muslims and an end to the illegal occupation Our union has a solid history of Arabs are all violently homophobic and the creation of a viable, international work and a proud and transphobic, while Israelis are independent Palestinian state history of LGBT international “civilised” pro LGBT. alongside Israel. Find out more at campaigns. We know our global unison.org.uk/international working family deserve the same The reality is that Israel is an You can join the Palestine workers rights that we currently apartheid state. Israeli settlers are Solidarity Campaign at enjoy. Workers rights are human seizing Palestinian land to build palestinecampaign.org and the rights. settlements, illegal in international no Pinkwashing campaign at law, which now control 43% of the nopinkwashing.org.uk UNISON supports the call from West Bank. Binyamin Netanyahu Palestinian groups for boycott, stated in March 2015 that as long divestment and sanctions against as he is Israeli Prime Minister there Israel until it respects Palestinians’ will be no Palestinian state. Israel’s human rights and upholds attack on Gaza in 2014 killed over international law. 2,000 people – including over 500 children. Regardless of sexual For five decades, Palestinians have orientation or gender identity faced military occupation and been denied their fundamental rights. The How attractive does that beach ESSENTIAL COVER WHEREVER YOU £1.30From WORK a month Worried about your job? In these uncertain times there’s never been a better time to join UNISON. For as little as £1.30 a month Annual salary Monthly cost our members get: Up to £2,000 £1.30 £2,001 - £5,000 £3.50 • advice, support and help at work £5,001 - £8,000 £5.30 £8,001 - £11,000 £6.60 • a helpline that is open until midnight £11,001 - £14,000 £7.85 £14,001 - £17,000 £9.70 • legal help for you at work and £17,001 - £20,000 £11.50 your family at home £20,001 - £25,000 £14.00 £25,001 - £30,000 £17.25 • plus a wide range of exclusive £30,001 - £35,000 £20.30 member discounts. over £35,000 £22.50 Join online at joinunison.org or call free on 0800 171 2193

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