If you do one thing today...

...lobby your MP to support positive amendments to the Equality Bill.

Today is the day MPs will debate the following amendments;

•New Clause 24: Time off for Workplace Equality Representatives (John McDonnell MP) puts union equality representatives on the same statutory footing as other union representatives, which would make a significant contribution in strengthening workers’ trade union rights

•New Clause 33: Mandatory Pay Audits (Katy Clark MP) introduces a requirement on employers, with 21 or more employees, to publish meaningful pay audits to reveal any gender pay gap.

Go and get details of your MP now and ask them to support these amendments.

A victory for equality

I was pleased to see a defeat for intolerance in the House of Lords this week – in line with the policy of UNISON, as agreed at our National LGBT Conference last year.

It is quite right that there is a legal prohibition on discrimination at work on grounds of sexual orientation and it was always nonsensical that such discrimination in the provision of goods and services should remain lawful.

UNISON supported this progressive step and opposed attempts to create exemptions from the duty not to discriminate on spurious religious grounds.