News
News
Embedded Files
News from UNISON National:
News from UNISON National:
Stop the Steal (on behalf of TUC):
Stop the Steal (on behalf of TUC):
Reform are proposing a so-called "Great Repeal Bill" to scrap rights secured in the Employment Rights Act - rights that millions of working people have fought hard to win.
What happens in these first few weeks after their announcement really matters. We are planning a day of action on 11 June to take the conversations into workplaces.
We’re encouraging workers to take two actions:
1. Take part in our day of action on 11 June, putting up Stop the Steal posters for your noticeboard at work or at home. This helps to raise awareness about the threat of the Great Repeal Bill. Order your free poster now and share the form with your friends and colleagues. Want to know more? Watch our webinar to hear more about the campaign and how to get involved in the day of action.
2. Take part by adding your name to show politicians the public wants to protect workers' rights. Politicians will be watching to see how the public responds. A huge petition sends a clear message: working people will not stand for this.
ACTION: Fair Visa Campaign Coach to London Wednesday 10 June :
ACTION: Fair Visa Campaign Coach to London Wednesday 10 June :
UNISON West Midlands will be taking a cohort of members to Parliament on Wednesday 10 June as part of the Fair Visa Campaign. Members will have the opportunity to lobby their MPs and join the national rally taking place at both Downing Street and Parliament Square.
This important demonstration will bring together UNISON members, campaigners, and supporters from across the country to call for a fairer, more compassionate visa system for migrant workers and their families.
A coach will depart from the UNISON West Midlands Office at 9:30am, with limited seats available for those wishing to attend.
To register your interest, please contact Emma Humphreys at e.humphreys@unison.co.uk.
Further details about the day’s planned activities can be provided to potential attendees.
CALLING NOTICE - UNISON West Midlands Regional Green Forum - Meeting - 7 July 2pm - 3:30pm - ONLINE MEETING ONLY
CALLING NOTICE - UNISON West Midlands Regional Green Forum - Meeting - 7 July 2pm - 3:30pm - ONLINE MEETING ONLY
We’re excited to invite you to the upcoming West Midlands Regional Green Forum on Tuesday 7 July, 2–3:30pm. This online gathering is a fantastic opportunity for anyone passionate about environmental issues to connect, share ideas, and help shape greener, more sustainable practices across our branches. Whether you’re already involved or simply curious about becoming a Branch Environmental Officer or Green Rep, your voice and enthusiasm are truly valued.
Meeting details:
Meeting details:
Date: 7 July 2026
TIME: 2pm-3:30pm
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/397284535503549?p=kPAXrCbKMOFTbeCOZ1
Meeting ID: 397 284 535 503 549
Passcode: CN7zp2sK
Dial in by phone
+44 20 3855 5465,,38325730# United Kingdom, City of London
Phone conference ID: 383 257 30#
Join on a video conferencing device
Tenant key: teams@unison.onpexip.com
Video ID: 122 689 743 3
For organizers: Meeting options | Reset dial-in PIN
If you’d like to join , please confirm your attendance at h.mooney@unison.co.uk — we look forward to seeing you there and working side by side for a greener future.
National LGBT+ Conference Bulletin 2026 :
National LGBT+ Conference Bulletin 2026 :
UNISON’s LGBT+ Self-Organised Group Committee has agreed to hold a LGBT+ Self-Organised Group Conference between Friday 13th November 1.30pm to Sunday 15th November 1.20pm 2026.
UNISON’s LGBT+ Self-Organised Group Conference takes place over three days. All delegates and visitors may attend all sessions of conference but voting on motions is restricted to delegates only. Delegates should attend all sessions of Conference. Delegates should contact their branch to be registered through the OCS.
For further information and the full bulletin please use this link: https://www.unison.org.uk/events/2026-lgbt-plus-conference/
School Term Dates 2026-2027:
School Term Dates 2026-2027:
Please see below the school holiday dates, including bank holidays and teacher training days:
There for you School Uniform Grant now live:
There for you School Uniform Grant now live:
Press release from ILGA-Europe
Spain breaks Malta's decade-long hold on Europe's LGBTI rights top spot
As the rules-based international order fractures and democracy is under pressure from east and west, Spain's top ranking in ILGA-Europe's Rainbow Map of 49 countries on LGBTI human rights laws and policies stands as proof that political courage remains the most powerful answer.
May 12, 2026, Brussels: Published today, ILGA-Europe's 18th annual Rainbow Map, ranking 49 European countries on laws and policies impacting LGBTI people, ends Malta's ten year reign with Spain taking the top position. Spain's rise to the top reflects a combination of achievements, including a fully functioning depathologisation of trans identities in healthcare, new legal protections, new national LGBTI and trans strategies, a new independent equal treatment and non-discrimination authority, and a determined fightback against far-right attempts to dismantle national trans protections.
Spain's No’1 ranking is more than a measure of policy progress. At a moment when authoritarian forces are pressing in on European democracy from east and west, and when LGBTI rights are being heavily weaponised as a political tool, Spain's forward momentum is a good example of what democratic leadership can look like.
Yet a top ranking on the Rainbow Map measures laws and policies, not lived reality. In Spain, as elsewhere, the gap between legal progress and daily experience remains stark. Assaults against LGBTI people in Spain have risen from 7% to 22% in just two years, driven by a climate of hate speech that emboldens violence against vulnerable groups.
According to Deputy Director of ILGA-Europe, Katrin Hugendubel: "Spain's number one ranking is a strong example of what becomes possible when a government makes a deliberate choice to advance equality rather than retreat from it. We see this same spirit in leaders like Zohran Mamdani in New York, who are refusing to bow to the authoritarian pressure of this moment and choosing instead to stand with their communities. Of course more needs to be done in Spain, but this is a reminder that political courage is a choice, and that governments who make it can effectively push back.”
Trans progress
While anti-trans hate is rising and many countries are undermining trans rights, this year’s Rainbow Map shows that courts are holding the line and eight countries are at least moving in the right direction even if the real legal reform is still missing. Albania (up two places to No'24), introduced new legislation saying discrimination based on gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation constitute gender based discrimination. In Czechia (up four places to No’26), and Latvia (up two places to No’32), legal gender markers can now be changed without sterilisation. Other countries are holding the line, while preparing the ground for necessary laws. Austria (remaining at No’16) introduced alternative gender markers for non-binary people, while in Croatia (one place up to No’19) and Poland (remaining at No’39), the administrative measures for legal gender recognition have been improved. Sweden is the only country to have introduced new legislation on legal gender recognition. While the reform is welcome, it still falls short of a self-determination model and continues to pathologise trans identities.
The wider picture
Beyond the scope of the Rainbow Map, but also showing leadership, are institutional directives and judgements, including the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) issuing key judgements on trans rights and recognition of same-sex marriage across EU member states over the last year, and just last month ruling that Hungary’s 2021 “anti-LGBTI propaganda” law breaches Article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU), which enshrines the Union’s fundamental values, as well as multiple EU directives, and several provisions of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. In October 2025 all 46 member states of the Council of Europe adopted the first comprehensive international legal instrument specifically dedicated to the human rights of intersex persons.
But while some countries and courts show positive leadership, across the continent, a number of damaging developments are taking shape. In Albania, a referendum threatens to repeal the new gender equality law, its opponents framing it as an attack on traditional family values. In Belarus, a new anti-LGBTI propaganda law modelled on the Russian version carries criminal sanctions. Germany has declared its LGBT action plan complete despite significant implementation gaps. Italy's new security law contains provisions that risk curtailing freedom of assembly, including Pride marches. Portugal has advanced legislative drafts that would severely roll back protections for trans and intersex people. Slovakia has introduced constitutional amendments defining sex as immutable and assigned at birth, making legal gender recognition impossible and restricting legal parenthood to a mother and father. In Turkey, there is an alarming escalation in attempts to roll back rights, with draft legislative amendments in process, an adopted rollback on access to trans-specific healthcare, the dissolution of an LGBTI youth organisation, and a sharp increase in criminal lawsuits against LGBTI activists. Russia remains last in the ranking, where attacks on LGBTI human rights continue to escalate. For the first time, LGBTI organisations are being designated "extremist", exposing those who work for or engage with them to significant risks of criminal liability.
Katrin Hugendubel concluded: "This year’s Rainbow Map tells two stories at once. One of genuine courage, in Spain, in courtrooms, and in leaders who are choosing to stand with their communities rather than scapegoat them. And one of real and growing danger that cannot be underestimated. The question every government in Europe must now answer is which story they want to be part of."
Executive Summary
About the project:
The Rainbow Map, ILGA-Europe’s annual benchmarking tool, ranks European countries on their respective legal and policy practices for LGBTI people, from 0-100%.
Produced since 2009, the Rainbow Map sets standards for laws and policies that have direct impact on the human rights of LGBTI people.
ILGA-Europe examine laws and policies in 49 countries using 76 criteria, divided between seven thematic categories: equality and non-discrimination; family; hate crime and hate speech; legal gender recognition; intersex bodily integrity; civil society space; and asylum. The 76 criteria under seven categories make up 100 points in total and they are attributed different weights based on international human rights standards and the LGBTI movement’s priorities.
ILGA-Europe collect and verify a complex set of legal data, through a consultation process involving our member organisations and more than 200 country experts across 49 countries. You can go ‘behind’ the points and see original information sources, download data sets and visuals, and compare countries on our interactive website.
This year’s results:
The top five countries on the 2026 ranking: 1. Spain, 2. Malta, 3. Iceland, 4. Belgium, 5. Denmark.
The bottom five countries on the 2026 ranking (in descending order): 45. Armenia, 46. Belarus, 47. Turkey, 48. Azerbaijan, and 49. Russia.
Further data:
Spain reaches the top of the ranking for the first time, replacing Malta after 10 years in the lead.
Sweden moves up three places and takes the 9th spot in the ranking.
The average score for Europe is 43%, while the average EU score is 52%.
Belarus drops one place in the ranking and is now 46th out of 49 countries.
Russia has been at the bottom of the ranking since 2024.
Romania drops one place and is now 42th out of 49 countries, making it the EU country with the lowest score.
Strictly embargoed files until 8AM CEST 12 May 2026:
The strictly embargoed files can be downloaded here. Password: ILGA-Europe///2026
Visual elements and raw data materials can be downloaded here.
For further comment, contact: Katja Štefanec Gärtner, Communications and Media Officer, ILGA-Europe: katja@ilga-europe.org, +32 496 730 983
About ILGA-Europe:
About ILGA-Europe:
ILGA-Europe are an independent, international non-governmental umbrella organisation bringing together over 750 organisations from 54 European and Central Asian countries. We are a driving force for political, legal and social change in the region. For more information, visit: www.ilga-europe.org
Please quote us as ILGA-Europe, thank you.
NEXT fashion retailer protest: union busting in Sri Lanka – action in Birmingham 19 May 2026, 12:00 (Time: Meet at 11:30 am for 12 pm action)
NEXT fashion retailer protest: union busting in Sri Lanka – action in Birmingham 19 May 2026, 12:00 (Time: Meet at 11:30 am for 12 pm action)
ON BEHALF OF ABI MCCRORY, SECRETARY TO THE REGIONAL INTERNATIONAL FORUM
Dear UNISON members,
Our NGO partners War on Want and Labour Behind the Label have asked for UNISON’s support to help protest outside a number of Next fashion retailers stores due to union busting UNISON’s Sri Lankan partner the FTZGSEU union – who you may remember has also been busted by rubber glove supplier to the NHS for the past fifteen years – and their dismissal of 1416 garment workers as detailed below.
Please note that our partner union has not asked anyone to boycott Next. Details below from War on Want and Labour Behind the Label include details of planned action outside Next in Birmingham on 19 May. If you wish to participate in this action, please let me know.
Background
On 19 May, ahead of NEXT's AGM, we will be taking action at NEXT stores around the country. This May is the one-year anniversary of NEXT's union-busting actions in Sri Lanka, where they dismissed 1416 workers by WhatsApp and ripped up a landmark agreement that workers had achieved through their union to improve their pay and working conditions. While NEXT’s profits continue to rise from the endless production of clothing for the UK and European markets, the people making those clothes have experienced first-hand how disposable fast fashion treats their livelihoods. Workers cannot fight for a just transition, safer conditions, or secure alternative livelihoods if unions and organised workers are pushed aside. That is why this case matters, not only for workers in Sri Lanka, but for unions and workers everywhere.
While NEXT takes union-busting to new heights in Sri Lanka, CEO Simon Wolfson sits in the House of Lords, lobbying against the Employment Rights Bill, refusing to pay living wages to all its workers in the UK. Cheap garments aren't the only thing Lord Wolfson could import back home.
We are asking you to join us on 19 May, to stand in solidarity with the Sri Lankan garment workers whose fight is our fight. We need to send a message to Lord Wolfson that he can’t sweep this under the rug.
Birmingham Protest
Location: 5 St Martins Square, Moor Street Queensway, B5 4BA
Time: Meet at 11:30 am for 12 pm action
Contact person: Safieh Kabir, skabir@waronwant.org (available online); Leon Sealey-Huggins, lsealeyhuggins@waronwant.org (will be at the action)
Further background information to the case
'We have all lost our jobs and the factory has been shut down—not because we did anything wrong, but because we stood together as a trade union to fight for workers’ rights and speak out against injustice.” - NEXT worker and union member
On 19 May 2025 NEXT closed their Katunayake factory in Sri Lanka – it ripped apart the only recognised Collective Bargaining Agreement in the Sri Lankan garment industry and eliminated their whole unionised workforce in the country.
NEXT claims the factory was not financially viable because of the higher wages for workers at this unionised factory. But the modest wage increase (around £10 more a month for one of the pay grades) was part of their agreement with the company – and was still far below a living wage level.
NEXT apparently could not afford to pay workers a few pounds more a month. They could, however, afford to pay Lord Wolfson £3,560,000 bonus over a salary of £4.7 million and in total £839 million to shareholders in the same year.
As NEXT is posting profits over a billion pounds year after year and continues to place orders at their two other non-unionised factories and subcontracted suppliers where wages are lower, it is clearly in their power to remedy the harm they have done.
Join us on 19 May to demand NEXT to:
1. Bring back jobs by re-opening production at the factory with sufficient orders and fair prices
2. Reinstate the Collective Bargaining Agreement at the factory
3.Commit publicly to respect the right to organise and negotiate collectively at all NEXT owned and operated factories in Sri Lanka
Best wishes
Abi McCrory
UNISON West Midlands
Regional Office, 24 Livery Street, Birmingham, B3 2PA
On Behalf of Dave Auger UNISON Regional International Officer
Dear Colleagues,
Support my challenge and show solidarity with garment workers around the world.
During the month of July I will be walking 57.75 miles to build up the distance from London to Dhaka.
I am doing this to show solidarity with garment workers, all over the world who face poverty wages, long hours, forced overƟme, unsafe working conditions, sexual, physical and verbal abuse, repression of trade union rights and short term contracts.
Fashion is an industry built on exploitation and growing under a lack of transparency that makes holding brands accountable difficult.
Labour Behind the Label are dedicated to changing this and so am I. One mile at a time.
Your support can help make a difference. Together, we can push for a fashion industry built on dignity, fair wages, and safe working environments.
Any amount is appreciated
Please support my challenge and stand with garment workers around the world! You can make a donation at
hƩps://www.justgiving.com/campaign/5775
And search for my name in rightside column
In Solidarity
Dave Auger UNISON Regional International Officer
Event: At the Rainbow's End comes to Brum!
Event: At the Rainbow's End comes to Brum!
At the Rainbow’s End by Clare Summerskill
Coming to MAC (Midland Arts Centre) Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, B12 9QH
on Sat July 4th at 3pm
Artemis Theatre Company presents a play by Dr Clare Summerskill based entirely on interviews with older LGBT people who have experienced homophobia and transphobia in care settings and when receiving care in their own home.
At the Rainbow’s End tackles an extremely important issue concerning older LGBTQ+
people who, having perhaps been out for their whole adult lives, are faced with the
possibility of having to go ‘back into the closet’ at the point of accessing care in later life.
Each script-in-hand performance will be followed by a Q&A with the writer, the audience,
and informed panellists.
The UK has a growing elderly LGBTQ+ population (along with the general growth in
population of older people) and there are tens of thousands of carers whose jobs will be to
provide them with care and support in one form or another. It is therefore imperative and
timely to not only increase awareness of the specific needs and lifestyles of older LGBTQ+
people but also to expose homophobic, and transphobic incidents of prejudice and even
cruelty towards members of this population.
This hard-hitting piece of theatre is intended to raise general awareness about real life
situations occurring where members of the LGBTQ+ population, who are vulnerable as older
people needing care, can suffer at the hands of carers who may be inexperienced, ill-
informed or even, at times, blatantly cruel. Since this play is based on real people’s
narratives, it makes an extremely powerful impact on the audience.
We welcome audience members who work in any capacity with older people, including
health & social care sector workers, care home managers and carers, voluntary sector staff,
housing officers, Council staff etc. Members of the LGBTQ+ community (groups and
individuals) are also warmly invited to attend.
The performances last approximately 50 minutes each followed by a Q&A session (Total
length 1 ½ hours).:
https://macbirmingham.co.uk/events/at-the-rainbows-end
Feedback from audience members:
“This is amazing- if you haven't been go. Funny, tragic, Sad, insightful and really well put together”
“Wow, wow, wow, what a powerful and moving piece of work. Exceptional”
“Such a great piece. So moving and infuriating. Congratulations”
“Thank you again to you and the actors for a powerful, moving and thought-provoking performance today. You really stimulated some interesting reflections and conversations, which I know will continue to improve the work we do here in Camden across our whole health and care system for the LGBTQ+ community”
Chris Lehmann. Director of ASC Strategy and Commissioning and Deputy DASS, London Borough of Camden.
https://macbirmingham.co.uk/events/at-the-rainbows-end
Box Office: 0121 446 3232
Step into Spring Grant – Opens 12 noon on 19 March 2026
Step into Spring Grant – Opens 12 noon on 19 March 2026
The Step into Spring Grant will open at 12 noon on Thursday 19 March 2026 and will remain open for 24 hours only.
Please add this date and time to your diary so you don’t miss the application window.
Below is a link to the grant:
Eligible UNISON members on a low income can apply for a £30 voucher per qualifying person in their household to help with the cost of shoes. You may apply for yourself, your partner and any dependent children.
If you cannot complete the online form due to an accessibility issue or have any queries, please email: s2s@unison.co.uk or call UNISON Direct on : 0800 0 857 857.
UNISON General Secretary Election - Ballots arriving soon.
UNISON General Secretary Election - Ballots arriving soon.
Look out for your envelopes that will begin arriving from the 28th October 2025.
Voting will be over a 4-week period from Tuesday 28 October to Tuesday 25 November.
Ballots will be mailed out by the Post Office from Tuesday 28 October so are likely to arrive any time from a few days to a couple of weeks after this date.
1.5 million UNISON members – our in-work members plus our Retired members – get a vote in this election, so it is a big exercise, and ballot mailouts are staggered. By law, we cannot allow members to vote electronically, so lookout for your ballot paper which will be posted to your home address.
Inside will be a smaller addressed envelope, with the postage already paid. Vote by placing an X in the box beside your preferred candidate’s name, put the ballot in the envelope and put it in the post box. Simple!
Members are strongly encouraged to use their vote in this important election that comes only once every five years. Make your choice and have your voice heard!
General Secretary Election 2025: who your branch is backing!
General Secretary Election 2025: who your branch is backing!
The general secretary is the most senior role in the union. They represent UNISON when talking to the media, other unions, employers and to Parliament. UNISON has to elect its general secretary every five years.
As the largest trade union in the UK, who runs UNISON matters. It matters in the country at large, and it matters in your workplace.
UNISON’s elected General Secretary runs our union, manages its 1,200 staff and ultimately determines the kind of union we are and can become. The General Secretary and their abilities and qualities is the single biggest factor in whether or not UNISON succeeds and wins for you at work and on pay.
There are two candidates in the 2025 election:
1. Andrea Egan
2. Christina McAnea.
Following a branch committee meeting, discussion and a vote, your branch has decided to nominate Andrea Egan for General Secretary.
Our Branch is backing Andrea Egan for General Secretary because Andrea:
Has a clear plan for successful action on Pay, ending the stagnation of the last fifteen years.
Will take the wage of a social worker, not the £181,000 package our current General Secretary receives. Andrea’s pay will go up when yours does.
Opposes UNISON’s subservience to Starmer’s Labour. UNISON members will come first, not the Labour Party.
Will free up and resource branches so we can better support you, giving you access to legal advice when needed.
Has successfully led campaigns to defend Schools and Council terms and conditions.
How the election works
Voting will be over a 4-week period from Tuesday 28 October to Tuesday 25 November.
Ballots will be mailed out by the Post Office from Tuesday 28 October so are likely to arrive any time from a few days to a couple of weeks after this date.
1.5 million UNISON members – our in-work members plus our Retired members – get a vote in this election, so it is a big exercise, and ballot mailouts are staggered. By law, we cannot allow members to vote electronically, so lookout for your ballot paper which will be posted to your home address.
Inside will be a smaller addressed envelope, with the postage already paid. Vote by placing an X in the box beside your preferred candidate’s name, put the ballot in the envelope and put it in the post box. Simple!
Members are strongly encouraged to use their vote in this important election that comes only once every five years. Make your choice and have your voice heard!
Message on Behalf of Regional International Forum
Message on Behalf of Regional International Forum
SUPPORTING THE CUBAN PEOPLE – PRACTICAL SOLIDARITY: A Truck for Quisicuaba's Mission
The below attachment were recently circulated to our Branch International Relations Officers (BIROs) and members of the Regional International Forum.
The Quisicuaba Project, officially known as the Cabildo Quisicuaba Socio-Cultural Community Project, is an initiative based in the Los Sitios neighbourhood, Havana, Cuba. The project aims to strengthen the community's responsible participation in matters related to culture, health and education.
Quisicuaba has grown into a social reintegration program with a strong focus on vulnerable groups. These include the elderly, children and youth from dysfunctional families, abused women, former inmates, single mothers, Black women, individuals experiencing domestic violence, people living with HIV and their families, and victims of gender-based violence. Many individuals who seek assistance from Quisicuaba face challenges such as addiction, malnutrition, poor health, and family-related issues, all of which have been exacerbated by the current economic crisis.
The project runs over 30 social programs, including a community social kitchen that provides free daily meals to more than 4,000 people. For those unable to visit the social kitchen, Quisicuaba also offers delivery services.
Quisicuaba faces ongoing transportation challenges, spending thousands of dollars each month on truck rentals to move food from fields to the city and distribute donations.
Owning a truck would free up these funds for social programs.
For further information go to https://aid4c.org.uk/
MESSAGE ON BEHALF OF THE UNISON WEST MIDLANDS WOMEN’S COMMITTEE
Please join the Regional Women’s Committee for another Women’s Day on Friday 1 November between 10am and 4pm. This will be an in-person event, held at the UNISON Regional Centre (24 Livery Street, Birmingham, B3 2PA).
We will have three sessions in this day:
Rachel Taylor, a recently elected Labour MP will be returning to share her experience since she was elected to Parliament,
Anita Edwards will run a workshop on speechwriting and public speaking.
We will be running a craft session on the afternoon, for fun and solidarity.
Lunch will be provided – please confirm by response if you are intending to attend and any dietary requirements you would need to have accommodated. Please email k.walker@unison.co.uk with this information by Friday 18 October at 12pm.
Learning at Work Week.
Learning at Work Week.
See details about taster sessions being run by UNISON College during Learning at Work Week 2024. Registration will open next week so keep an eye on the page below.
Message on behalf of UNISON West Midlands.
We are pleased to announce that, as part of Year of the LGBT+ Worker, we have new dates for Trans Ally training.
This training is open to all members. To apply, simply follow the links below and fill in the electronic form at the bottom of the page.
Thursday 23 May – 9.30am – 12.30pm – ONLINE - https://westmidlands.unison.org.uk/events/transallymay2024/
Wednesday 26 June – 9.30am – 12.30pm – IN PERSON - https://westmidlands.unison.org.uk/events/transallyjune2024/
If you have any further queries about this course, please get in touch with the West Midlands Education Team by emailing wmeducationteam@unison.co.uk or calling 0121 685 3104
MESSAGE ON BEHALF OF UNISON WEST MIDLANDS LGBT+ SOG
Hello Everyone
Part of the Year Of The LGBT+ Worker is education. Therefore, please see below the Flags of the LGBT+ Community. Please feel free to share with your Branches
In the vibrant tapestry of the LGBT+ community, flags serve as powerful symbols, each telling a unique story of identity, belonging, and resilience. Let's embark on a journey through some of these flags, delving into their origins, meanings, and the vibrant communities they represent.
The rainbow flag: a beacon of hope and unity
At the heart of the LGBT+ flag landscape stands the iconic rainbow flag, a testament to diversity and unity. Designed in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, its vibrant stripes symbolize the myriad facets of the LGBT+ spectrum. But before the rainbow, there was the pink triangle, a haunting symbol of oppression reclaimed by the community from its dark past in Nazi Germany.
Originally, there were eight different coloured stripes – each with its own meaning.
· Pink – Sex
· Red – Life
· Orange – Healing
· Yellow – Sunlight
· Green – Nature
· Turquoise – Magic/Art
· Indigo – Serenity
· Violet – Spiri
Bisexual flag: embracing all shades of attraction
Enter the bisexual flag, a celebration of attraction without boundaries. Designed in 1998 by Michael Page, its pink, purple, and blue hues speak to the spectrum of attraction, from same to multiple genders, offering visibility and validation to bisexual individuals.
Pansexual flag: colours of inclusivity and fluidity
In 2010, the pansexual community unveiled its flag, a triad of pink, yellow, and blue, echoing the fluidity of attraction across genders. Each colour represents a facet of attraction, from feminine to masculine, agender to all-encompassing, embracing the complexity of desire beyond binary confines.
Asexual flag: honouring identity beyond desire
Similarly, the asexual flag, with its black, grey, white, and purple stripes, shines a light on a spectrum of attraction that transcends sexual desire. It stands as a beacon of visibility for those navigating a world that often equates identity with attraction, offering a sense of belonging and acceptance.
Lesbian flag: symbols of feminine pride
There are many variations of lesbian flag. One of the most recent lesbian flags incorporates shades of orange and white to represent all members of the lesbian community. This includes transgender women and those who do not identify with a gender.
· Dark orange/red represents gender non-conformity.
· Orange represents independence.
· Light orange represents community.
· White represents unique relationships to womanhood.
· Light pink represents serenity and peace.
· Darker pink represents love and sex.
· The purple/plum represents femininity.
Intersex flag: a circle of wholeness and visibility
Designed in 2013 by Morgan Carpenter, the intersex flag, with its yellow background and purple circle, stands as a symbol of wholeness and visibility for those whose identities challenge traditional notions of sex and gender.
Transgender flag: stripes of identity and empowerment
Crafted by Monica Helms in 1999, the transgender flag's light blue, pink, and white stripes symbolize the journey of self-discovery and affirmation. Its symmetrical design reflects the quest for correctness and validation in a world that often denies transgender individuals their truth.
Genderfluid flag: embracing fluidity and diversity
With its pink, blue, purple, black, and white stripes, the genderfluid flag celebrates the fluidity and diversity of gender identity. From femininity to masculinity, and everything in between, each colour represents a facet of identity, offering a sense of validation and empowerment.
Nonbinary pride flag: breaking free from binary constraints
Enter the nonbinary pride flag, a testament to identity beyond the confines of the gender binary. With its yellow, white, purple, and black stripes, it honours the myriad ways individuals experience and express gender, offering visibility and validation to those often marginalised within LGBT+ spaces.
Ally pride flag: standing in solidarity and support
The ally pride flag, with its black and white stripes and rainbow ‘A’, stands as a symbol of solidarity and support for LGBT+ individuals. It serves as a reminder that allyship is not passive but an active stance in the fight for equality and acceptance.
New pride flag: inclusive and supportive
Lastly, the new pride flag. The new flag has been redesigned to incorporate elements from various LGBT+ subcultures.
The following are the various meanings of the new flag:
· Red represents life.
· Orange represents healing.
· Yellow represents new ideas.
· Green represents prosperity.
· Blue represents serenity.
· Violet represents spirit.
· Black/Brown represents people of colour. Black also serves to remember those who have died from, and those who are living with HIV/AIDS and the stigma around the virus that is still present in society.
· White/Blue/Pink represents the trans community.
· The yellow with a purple circle represents intersex people.
Tracy Morgan
Pronouns Her/She
Mary Seacole Team
Mary Seacole Team Line on 0121 685 3101.
NJC 2024 Survey Results
Please see below the NJC 2024 survey results regarding the proposals for the 2024 NJC Pay Claim.
We had a 19.5% response to the survey for our branch, with the majority voting yes to the proposals.
1895 members entitled to vote.
1757 were sent the link via email.
We received 374 responses of which 338 voted yes and 36 voted no.
Thank you for taking the time to complete the survey.
Please note: REGIONAL INTERNATIONAL FORUM NOTICE
Dear All
This communication is to inform you of a current situation.
The visit to Nicaragua in March 2024 which was planned for this year has unfortunately had to be postponed. This situation will be reviewed once finances are clearer.
The reason for this is that there have unfortunately had to be some measures taken in respect of the Regional lay budget.
We thank you for your understanding, such decisions are not taken lightly and interest was gratefully received.
Sent with the kindest of regards,
Dave
The UNISON West Midlands LGBT+ SOG now has social medica accounts. As part of Year of the LGBT+ Worker and February being LGBT+ History Month, they'll be sharing daily LGBT+ history posts they think are interesting. Many of them will focus on this year's theme of Medicine. #underthescope #YearofLGBTplusworkers #UNISON #UNISONLGBT #UNISONWestMidlands
The social media page details are below, please go take a look:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/unisonwestmidslgbt
Instagram - @unison_w.midlands_lgbtplus_sog
Email - wmunisonlgbt@outlook.com
Important news about Universal Credit
Being paid early for Christmas can affect members’ Universal Credit payments. Early pay can make it seem like they’ve received twice as much pay as normal, because two pay packets fall within one Universal Credit assessment period, reducing the amount of Universal Credit they will receive. However, employers can help to reduce the risk of this by reporting the usual pay date to HMRC, rather than reporting the earlier pay date.
If the employer cannot report pay on the usual date, members can ask the Department for Works & Pensions (DWP) to reallocate one of the salary payments to a different Universal Credit assessment period, but they may need to provide additional information or evidence and the DWP may not be able to make the change in time for their next Universal Credit payment. Members can contact the DWP through their Universal Credit Journal to request this.
Member Courses:
Member Courses:
A reminder that the education team we are also sill accepting applications for a new course taking place early next year:
Managing and Developing People (for branches who employ staff) – In person – Thurs 25 January and Thurs 22 February 2024 10:00am – 4:00pm
To apply for this course, simply email wemeducationteam@unison.co.uk with your UNISON membership number, branch and preferred email address.
Branch Prize Draws:
Branch Prize Draws:
Recruitment Week Prize Winner: Terina Ramsay
Stars in Our School Prize Winners:
Michelle Bound - St. Pauls C of E Primary School, Leamington Spa
Izabela Poplawska - Rokeby Primary School
Christine Reynolds - St. Pauls C of E Primary School, Leamington Spa
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