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Every year the TUC hosts equality conferences that supplement the general work of TUC congress. Find out about each conference on this page.
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What you need to know
Every year the TUC hosts equality conferences that supplement the general work of TUC congress. These conferences focus on supporting the advancement of issues that disproportionally impact minority groups. During the pandemic, these events were held virtually, but for 2022 they will be returning to their previous in-person format.
A note on terminology:You may notice that we refer to Black workers' and not BAME workers', and there are a number of other terms you may hear when we talk about equality and specific groups or communities. We've compiled a brief list of terminology you may hear along with answering some other frequently asked questions about equality matters. Find out more below.
We've collated some useful information about the conferences and the process to help you if you've never attended a union conference before.
The conference process
The conference process
You may have attended a union conference in the past, such as Accord's own biennial delegate conference. The TUC conferences work in a very similar way, but there are some differences too. So, let's have a look at how the conference process works.
Motions:
Motions - the TUC start by collating motions for each union (see more about motions in the "all about motions" section.
Amendments - once all motions are reviewed and collated, the TUC will circulate a preliminary agenda. Once this agenda is available, each union is invited to review and submit amendments. Amendments shouldn't try to change the motion, but can add additional points and sometimes even widen the scope of what is asked for.
Final agenda - the finalised agenda is circulated ahead of the conference. At each conference, delegates are asked to vote on which motion should be submitted to the TUC congress, forming part of the national campaigning agenda.
Equality committees:
Each equality conference has a corresponding equality committee who are responsible for advancing the motions once conference has voted and agreed upon them.
Each union has the ability to nominate one candidate to each of the equality committees. The committees have reserved seats, called 'sections' which allows for diverse and broad representation across different underrepresented groups.
Conference locations
Conference locations
Covid-19 permitting, all conferences are being held at TUC Congress House in central London. The only exception to this is the Disabled Workers' conference which will be held at the Bournemouth Internation Convention Centre due to accessibility constraints at TUC Congress House.
Decisions were made by the respective equality committee to host the Womens' conference and Disabled Worker's conference online.
All about motions
What is a motion?
A motion gives unions the opportunity to shape the TUC's campaigning agenda for the next year.
They seek changes to the way in which workers are managed, changes to terms and conditions of employment and improvements to their working environment.
They will typically be submitted by groups of members. Either by branches or department teams. Motions must be submitted to Accord HQ by the deadline given. They’ll then be considered by the Standing Orders Committee (SOC), alongside Accord’s president and general secretary.
Those that make it into the agenda will usually be grouped together so that similar issues can be debated collectively, or where they seek conflicting outcomes. Once a motion has been presented to conference, it needs to be seconded by another delegate before a discussion / debate can begin.
Tips for writing motions
make your motion simple to follow – avoid technical terms & business jargon
make it easy to understand – keep it clear and simple
don’t try to explain everything at once – that’s what the supporting speech is for
ask for an outcome and suggest a solution to the issue
try not to criticise colleagues in other business areas – they may be at conference, and you may need their support
there is usually a 200 maximum word count for each motion, but don't focus on this
We've taken some examples from the 2021 conferences which will help you to understand what a good motion looks like, how to construct it, and how to present it.
Deadlines for motion submissions for 2022 conferences:
TUC Women's conference – 1st December 2021
TUC Disabled Workers' conference – 1st December 2021
TUC Young Workers' conference – 23rd
December 2021
TUC Black Workers' conference – 3rd February 2022
TUC LGBT+ conference – 11th
February 2022
Equality committees
Equality committees
Each union has the ability to nominate one candidate to each of the equality committees. The committees have reserved seats, called 'sections' which allows for diverse and broad representation across different underrepresented groups
Deadlines for nominations to committee:
TUC Women's conference – 1st December 2021
TUC Disabled Workers' conference – 1st December 2021
TUC Young Workers' conference – 23rd
December 2021
TUC Black Workers' conference – 3rd February 2022
TUC LGBT+ conference – 11th
February 2022
What the committees do:
All committees are advisory in capacity and appointed under the TUC’s Rules and Standing Orders. They represent a direct link to the TUC General Council, promoting equality matters and ensuring under-represented group’s voices are part of the TUC’s agenda.
Committees provides advice to the TUC General Council. This includes advice relating to:
Policy in line with the decisions of the equality conferences
Progress on the TUC’s equalities campaign plan and wider equalities campaigns
Ensuring strategies to achieve equality are included within the TUC’s overall priorities and campaigns
Ensuring equality is integral to unions’ industrial and bargaining agendas, and to facilitate training opportunities for under-represented workers.
Accord's ED&I Group
The Accord Equality Diversity & Inclusion group’s aim is to maximise our members' potential, regardless of background, and ensure everyone is treated with dignity and respect. It’s a place where diversity is celebrated, without prejudice or judgement. It’s a chance to collectively learn from our experiences, and enrich all our lives.
The group get involved in a broad spectrum of events across the year. If you’re interested, why not get involved — email us at [email protected]orregister to join online.