41 / 175
Implementing 2015 Resolutions
| Page 26
Implementation
Resolution 22
UK Equal Rights Framework
(1) Conference condemns the ConDem Government for repealing sections of
the Equality Act 2010 aimed at protecting workers from discrimination and
harassment and attacking institutions such as the Equality and Human Rights
Commission (EHRC). Alongside many other attacks on employment rights,
widespread use of zero hours contracts, attacks on collective bargaining,
reducing access to justice by implementing fees for employment tribunals,
conference believes the current Government is systematically dismantling
the equal rights framework within the UK.
(2) Conference believes charging a fee for registering a claim at a tribunal
undoubtedly deters the lowest paid workers and those who are unemployed
as a consequence of dismissal from registering a claim. To charge people
for exercising a statutory right is an attack on equality, is unacceptable and
is, in reality a denial of access to justice. In the first year on the Tribunal fees
regime, applications to the Employment Tribunal was down 79% comparied
to the previous 12 months.
(3) The questionnaire procedure has played a key role in enabling union
members to evaluate whether they should bring a claim of discrimination,
and has ensured employers disclose important information relating to
company procedures and policies.
(4) Conference welcomes the development of Union equality reps. Conference
believes that Union equality reps need a framework of support to ensure that
they are supported in the work that they do. We should work hard to develop
regional and national networks of Union Equality Reps.
(5) Conference believes that we must work hard to achieve statutory recognition
for Union Equality Representatives. We must continue to press the case with
the current Government as well as ensure statutory recognition is a priority
commitment for the next Labour government.
(6) Conference calls on the GFTU to campaign for employment rights from
day one, continue to oppose the use of Zero hour contract by employers,
abolition of fees for employment tribunals and for collective rights to
organise and negotiate through a trade union for better pay, terms and
conditions and lobby the next Labour Government to make them unlawful.
(7) Conference resolves to work with afffiliates to develop a charter for equal
rights, employment rights and collective bargaining in order to rebuild our
machinery for equality.
Resolution 23
Women in Manufacturing, Engineering &
Science
(1) Conference is deeply concerned at the ongoing occupational and job
segregation existing in manufacturing. Women make up just under a quarter
of the UK manufacturing workforce, as compared with nearly half of the total
UK workforce.
(2) Although women play a key role in UK manufacturing sectors such as
the food, drink and clothing sectors, the segregation is stark in science,
engineering and technology (SET) with just one in twenty working
women and one in three men, employed in any SET occupation. Among
younger workers, women account for just 3 per cent of apprenticeships in
engineering but dominate in low paid sectors.
(3) Many women face problems with up-skilling, remain in lower grades and
too few are employed in the management and research functions or are SET
students and graduates resulting in loss of valuable skills.
Implementation
This policy was in fact taken up by a number of
organisations and media outlets over the two year
period and many University and some prestigious
organisations such as the Royal Society of
Engineers took the matter forward.