We publish below a model motion which Socialist Alternative encourages all trade union members to propose and pass in their local branches.
To read more on what Socialist Alternative says about this anti-democratic and anti-LGBTQ+ attack click here!
If your union body passes this motion, or if you want advice on how to propose this motion in your union, contact us at: info@socialistalternative.net
Passed by these Trade Union branches before the murder of Brianna Ghey: Coventry Unison, Coventry Trades Council, Kirklees NEU, Wolverhampton Unison, Wirral Unison, Unite Hospitality NI, Greater Manchester Mental Health Unison
This branch notes:
- The horrific hate crime committed near Warrington when trans teenage girl Brianna Ghey was murdered in recent weeks
- The blocking of the Gender Recognition Reform Bill from the Scottish parliament by the Conversative Westminster government under the use of Section 35
- That these reforms are intended to make life easier for trans people, one of the most oppressed and victimised sections of society. For example, in a recent survey for Stonewall, 41 per cent of trans men and trans women said they had experienced a hate crime or incident in the last 12 months due to their gender identity and 25 per cent had said they had experienced homelessness. The UK government’s own Equalities Survey found 67 per cent of trans people had avoided being open about their gender identity for fear of a negative reaction
- Furthermore according to Trans Murder Monitoring, between October 2021 and September 2022 there were 327 reported murders of trans or gender non-conforming people around the world
This branch believes that:
- This government is largely responsible for fanning the flames of an atmosphere where trans people are shunned and made outsiders. Our movement has a duty to stand with them
- This move by Sunak’s government is an attack on the democratic rights of the people of Scotland and a further attempt to whip up ‘culture wars’ against an already demonised group, at a time when workers are increasingly fighting back against the cost of living crisis
- The rights of trans people do not conflict with the rights of other oppressed groups
- The trade union movement should defend the right to self determination and the democratic rights of the people of Scotland, against an increasingly anti-democratic Westminster Tory government We need a united working class movement that fights against all forms of oppression and for fully funded public services
- Ultimately our rights and liberation will not be won through the courts, but through collective action and the fight for a different form of society
- We should stand in solidarity with our trans comrades and fight for a full ban on trans ‘conversion therapy’, to immediately scrap all barriers to legal self-identification of gender, for fully funded trans healthcare and NHS and to stop the attacks on puberty blockers
This branch resolves to:
- Send our solidarity to our trans members
- Support protests and struggles to defend and extend the GRA reform, and to stamp out all transphobic violence
- Support the struggle for self-determination of the people of Scotland
- Send this motion to all relevant union bodies as appropriate including other labour movement bodies and National Delegate Conference
- Publicise this motion to all branch members
