Page 6 - In Force Sring 2018

Women’s conference: moving,

inspiring, empowering

By Teresa Hall, Leicestershire Police After this session, with barely time for
UNISON delegate a coffee, we headed off into the Police and
Justice Service Group meeting where we
Moving, inspiring and empowering are discussed the role of the PCSOs and the
just a few of the words I would choose to difficulties some are facing transferring
use to describe the UNISON National from other forces.
Women’s Conference which this year was Day 2 started with the second
held at the BT Convention Centre in conference session where Motion 17 -
Liverpool. support for women suffering with mental
For both of us attending from the health - was carried. This was an
Leicestershire Police Branch (myself and informative discussion which called for
xxxx) it was our first time attending the mandatory mental health first aid training
women’s conference and we were for all managers to help them recognise
extremely fortunate to be there to early warning signs of distress and how to
celebrate 100 years of votes for women. support staff.
This year, we required a larger venue. With both our interests spiked in this
The centre itself stands prominent on the discussion, we headed off to the next
banks of the Mersey and, although the seminar - Bargaining on Mental Health in
venue is vast, our delegates, visitors and the Workplace - where Lizanne Devonport,
stands made it a busy and vibrant location. regional organiser for the North West Teresa Hall (left) with Dr Helen Pankhurst.
In all, we had more than 540 delegates region, spoke in depth about the issues
attending and 250 visitors so yet again it around this. their career. This needs to change.
was an amazing turn-out. She shared some interesting facts We walked straight out of this meeting
The conference ran from 1 to 3 which I found quite surprising. For and into the Labour Link meeting which
February and on our first day we attended instance, one in four women will was very enlightening. We both believed
the East Midlands regional meeting. It was experience mental health issues in the we lacked a certain knowledge around
welcoming, informal and supportive and workplace, which I thought would be politics so it was great to hear from MPs
really encouraged all regardless of their higher. A total of 95 per cent of women Maria Eagle and Linda Hobson who
experience within UNISON. After lunch, calling in sick due to stress gave a different discussed how we involve more of our
we attended our first conference session reason to their employer which might women within the party and the history
where we managed to get through around account for the previous figure, and 92 per around the Labour Party and the unions.
a third of the motions all of which were cent of women believed disclosing a Our third conference session began
supported and carried. mental health problem would damage after lunch and we were delighted to hear
from Birmingham care workers whose
shift patterns have become unbearable.
Honouring Leicester’s suffragette They are currently involved in strike action.
Their courage and speech received a
Leicestershire Police UNISON branch secretary Chris standing ovation. Our other guest speaker
Hanrahan was among the crowds who gathered in the city was Dave Prentis, UNISON general
centre on 6 February to see the unveiling of a statue secretary, who fully supported the action
honouring Leicester trade unionist Alice Hawkins. being taken and announced he would be
The ceremony was held on the centenary of women joining the care workers on the picket line.
being given the right to vote. Day 3 started early and we were
Chris explains: “For 15 years women from all thrilled to hear from guest speaker Dr
backgrounds stood up for the right to vote through the Helen Pankhurst, an international
suffragette movement. Some gave their lives, others development and women’s rights activist
endured prison to gain something that many take for and writer. She is the great, great
granted today. It is no coincidence that the colours of granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst
UNISON are the same as the suffragettes. and granddaughter of Sylvia Pankhurst,
“In Leicester, our very own Alice Hawkins battled hard to gain this basic of who were both leaders in the British
human rights and she was finally honoured when the City of Leicester unveiled a suffragette movement. Her talk was
statue of her in the Market Square. inspiring and highlighted not only the
“The statue, funded by ordinary people, will stand as a testament to her and the struggles of women over the past century
movement she represented. It will be an inspiration for generations to come and a but how far we’ve come and still have to
PAGE 6
reminder that we strive for equality in all things.” go. A fitting tribute to the celebration of
100 years of votes for women.