Received from: College of Podiatry, Unite
Motion 31 and amendment
Congress recognises and applauds the role that trade unions have played in campaigning for and gaining significant achievements for equalities.
All the major advances in equal pay, for example, have been achieved by trade unions. The Ford equal pay struggle led to the Equal Pay Act. However, fifty-two years on from the Equal Pay Act there are still industries with a 48 per cent gender pay gap.
Congress believes that tackling discrimination, prejudice and harassment in all its forms requires action in the workplace.
We need to ensure that equalities issues are not just the subject of good policies but put firmly on the bargaining table and deliver concrete results including agreements dealing with priority issues for women, BAEM, LGBT+, young and disabled workers.
Congress calls on the TUC General Council with all TUC affiliates, the TUC Women’s, Race Relations, Disabled Workers, LGBT+ Committees and Young Members’ Forum to:
i. support the prioritisation of equalities issues as industrial issues in the workplace
ii. promote action to close gender, race, disability pay gaps, end LGBT+ pay inequality and unfair age rates
iii. advance equality-responsive health and safety including menopause, appropriate PPE for all, recognition of sickle cell and thalassemia, long Covid, mental health
iv. campaign for legal support and negotiating best practice for equalities reps in the workplace for the right to paid time off for duties and training to enable them to deliver fairness for all
v. spread the extension of union equality reps at the bargaining table, equality impact assessments, and positive action to ensure a diverse negotiating team and tackle under-representation
vi. develop the TUC equality audit on collective bargaining to require stronger action.
Mover: Unite
Seconder: Royal College of Podiatry