Sam, one of our stewards, has written about her experiences at this year’s Women’s Conference that was held in Brighton on the 15th – 17th February 2024.
This year as a branch, two officers attended the women’s conference, Assistant Branch Secretary Karen Moore as delegate with voting rights on behalf of the branch and Sam, Health and Safety branch officer as a visitor. This year’s conference had 49 motions in which 3 were withdrawn, 1 falling (due to the branch moving this motion having to leave early due to travel issues) 1 emergency motion. All the motions presented and debated were carried following the voting of branches attending the conference.
Issues brought to the Women’s conference covered a wide range, affecting women within our union. Issues relating to flexible working conditions /work life balance, women’s health was a topic discussed in a few motions covering menopause and women’s mental health. There were several motions relating to pregnancy, baby loss, black women’s maternity care. As well as motions relating to the childcare issues that working women face and that the childcare system is broken. Domestic abuse and the harassment of woman in the workplace were also issues which were discussed in detail and in conference we heard the stories of the brave women who have experienced these issues and their personal stories. National officers shared in their reports that the last there for you grant scheme was closed within 4 minutes for the morning applications and within 6 minutes for the afternoon applications highlighting the financial situation our members are in at the present.
Disabled women members issues were highlighted and how the same issues are still being brought to conference each year highlighting that there is still a lot of work to be addressed by national officers within the campaign work that the union does on behalf of its members.
The year of LGBT+ was a topic which was discussed within numerous motions and within conference we heard the discrimination that our women members are facing within the workplace and outside due to the mainstream media and their attacks on trans women. Brave women stood in front of us all and shared their stories telling us how they must navigate their lives with so much care as not to upset anyone in fear of the reprisals. They spoke about how their lives have changed over the last few years with Brexit and that they experience discrimination every day.
One issue within discussions within motions was the plight of the women and children in Gaza- there was an emergency motion brought by Cymru/Wales region. When issues relating to pregnancy and antenatal care was discussed we heard how women in Gaza are giving birth with no medical care, no medicines and that there is a high number of pregnancy losses due to the lack of medical care and supplies.
The history of women within the union was discussed and that as a union we are a union of women with around 70% of our members being women. The importance of ensuring that within our union that women are represented in all aspects of the union whether as branch officers, branch secretary, regional officers, and national officers. We heard on the first day from our president Libby Nolan who shared her passion for the union and how we need to stand together as a union for all our members. She shared her experiences as a nurse the impact on the NHS due to funding cuts and the move to outsource more and more services which impacts the quality of care received for patients as well as the working conditions for those workers who jobs are affected.
We heard from our general secretary Christina McAnea who spoke with passion about how she will be holding account the labour party if they are successful in the next general election. She spoke about how she has been working alongside Angela Rayner MP, voicing the impact on austerity cuts have had on workers regarding pay and working conditions, highlighting the issues which are affecting our members that some members are having to choose each day whether to provide food for their children or keep them warm never mind feed themselves. Christina also spoke about the history of women within the union and how we have risen within what was a white male dominated union to now being a union which does represent its members but adding that there is still work to do.
Her words about how we need change in our society were echoed the following day when Shadow Minister of State for Women’s Health and Mental Health Abena Oppong Asare spoke to us all. She shared her story of growing up with the union being part of her life and her supporting women. She shared that the labour party recognise that there is so much work to do in supporting women’s health and mental health, she shared that there also needed to be policies and actual services for children and young people in place so that they get the support they need as children, so it impacts their lives. She spoke passionate about children and young people’s mental health and for me as someone who works with children and young people this gave me hope that they will get the help they need when they need it instead of being on a waiting list whilst their mental health deteriorates further. The commitment to actually seeing that children and young people are our future flowed throughout her speech and as I looked around the conference centre, I saw women sitting nodding and clapping in unison together at what her plans were.
For me, on a personal level being at conference was an opportunity to connect with reps throughout the West Midlands catching up on what we have been doing as individuals and branches over the last year. It was inspiring to hear the 4 motions from the West Midlands region, focusing on pay and domestic abuse/honour killings. Within our regional meeting we spoke about Mary Macarthur who led the chain makers in Cradley Heath in 1910 to strike resulting in them getting a living wage. The motion regarding health and safety was a motion I really enjoyed listening to as this is an issue which I care about, it was inspirational to hear them talk about the need of more women health and safety reps within branches. Throughout the conference we heard from young women members who spoke passionately about how they are getting involved with the union and making changes to support all our members. As well as the impact of austerity on their lives, unable to find suitable housing, unable to plan to have children as they cannot afford childcare, unable to have the heating on as they need to eat and cannot afford to do both. The actual cost of their work and how it costs them money to work such as rising petrol costs and that the mileage rate has not risen as well as costs to work from home such as additional electric costs for laptops. For me though their passion to be part of the union to help others, to look to the future and think about how we can all support each other this is what made them stand out they are the future of our union.
This is a general election year, and this conversation came up time and time again and how the impact of austerity has ripped apart our public services but despite the devastating cuts there are still strong women fighting for these services and the workers who provide these services. The sad update of the situation in our neighbouring council of Birmingham was shared with us within our regional meeting as well as national officers’ reports. 600 workers are facing redundancy as the council attempts to balance their accounts, the impact for those 600 workers is devastating as well as the people they support within their role.
To finish on a positive note, I would like to add that I had the opportunity to spend 3 days with a fabulous role model within our branch. She is inspiring women reps and members to push themselves to achieve and to contribute to the work of the branch for its members. If you are considering becoming more involved with the work of the branch and indeed the union, then do speak with Karen Moore.
Sam Solihull UNISON Steward, Health and Safety Rep, Health and Safety Branch officer
Solihull UNISON 