Emergency motions Lambeth UNISON submitted to UNISON National Delegate Conference 2025

Emergency Motion One

Conference notes:

1) UNISON’s strong support for trans rights and the success of the introduction of trans ally training across the union;

2) The Supreme Court judgment of 16 April declaring that sex in the Equality Act 2010 refers to sex assigned at birth and an undefined term “biological sex”

3) That the Women and Equalities Minister, who is also Education Minister, Bridget Phillipson, stated that people must use single-sex spaces according to sex assigned at birth.

4) That the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) issued an “interim update” on the implementation of the judgment on 24 April

Further notes

1) That the British Medical Association described the Supreme Court ruling as “scientifically illiterate”

2) The EHRC “interim update” goes way beyond the Supreme Court judgement and is not official guidance

Conference believes that:

a) The rights of trans people do not conflict with or reduce the rights of other oppressed groups. We stand in solidarity with our trans comrades and fight for a ban on trans conversion therapy, to end all barriers to gender self-identification, for fully funded trans healthcare; for trans people access gendered spaces appropriate to them.

b) It was a step back for LGBT+ liberation and workers rights that the Labour government have not stood up fro trans rights.

C) Trans women are women, trans men are men and non-binary people exist and should be respected.

Conference resolves to call on the National Executive Council to:

i) Work with the LGBT+ committee and other appropriate bodies in UNISON to support protests and struggles to defend and extend trans rights. This includes delivering trans ally training.

ii) Work with the Labour Link committee to develop the best way to campaign for LGBT+ rights and liberation within the Labour party;

iii) Work with the LGBT+ committee and other appropriate bodies in UNISON to develop guidance and support for our members

iv) Work with the LGBT+ committee,

Regions and other appropriate bodies in UNISON to continue to support, publicise and attend Trans Pride events.

v) Refuse to embed transphobic definitions of gender in our unions rules and practices

vi) Support any member refusing to comply with the unworkable interim guidance

vii) Explore joining legal challenges to the Supreme Court decision

Passed by the Branch Committee – May 2025

Emergency motion Two – Trans Rights

Conference notes:

1) UNISON’s strong support for trans rights and the success of the introduction of trans ally training across the union;

2) The Supreme Court judgment of 16 April declaring that sex in the Equality Act 2010 refers to sex assigned at birth and an undefined term “biological sex”

3) That the Women and Equalities Minister, who is also Education Minister, Bridget Phillipson, stated that people must use single-sex spaces according to sex assigned at birth.

4) That the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) issued an “interim update” on the implementation of the judgment on 24 April

Further notes

1) That the British Medical Association described the Supreme Court ruling as “scientifically illiterate”

2) The EHRC “interim update” goes way beyond the Supreme Court judgement and is not official guidance

Conference believes that:

a) The rights of trans people do not conflict with or reduce the rights of other oppressed groups. We stand in solidarity

with our trans comrades and fight for a ban on trans conversion therapy, to end all barriers to gender self-identification, for fully funded trans healthcare; for trans people access gendered spaces appropriate to them.

b) It was a step back for LGBT+ liberation and workers rights that the Labour government have not stood up fro trans rights.

C) Trans women are women, trans men are men and non-binary people exist and should be respected.

Conference resolves to call on the National Executive Council to:

i) Work with the LGBT+ committee and

other appropriate bodies in UNISON to support protests and struggles to defend and extend trans rights. This includes delivering trans ally training.

ii) Work with the Labour Link committee to develop the best way to campaign for LGBT+ rights and liberation within the Labour party;

iii) Work with the LGBT+ committee and other appropriate bodies in UNISON to develop guidance and support for our members

iv) Work with the LGBT+ committee, Regions and other appropriate bodies in UNISON to continue to support, publicise and attend Trans Pride events.