Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender

We note the full Council of Executives has asked us to prepare a 'strategy to eradicate homophobia'. We instruct the General Secretary to prepare this work based on a non exhaustive list of ideas, e.g.

1. challenging homophobia within the RMT
2. responding to homophobic instances in the workplace
3. provide support to members who are coming out as LGBT
4. ensuring employers have policies that practise full equality
5. supporting anti homophobic campaigns
6. RMT to provide new materials for our LGBT members that challenges homophobia in the workplace

Council of Executives decision: That we increase the LGBT Conference to 2 days from 1 as it is now.

The RMT held a protest outside the Russian Federation Embassy in Kensington to voice our disgust at the governments attacks on gay rights and to voice our support for LGBT people in the country.

RMT's activists organised leafleting and a demo at the embassy on Tuesday. As the building is in a private road we were ushered to a site prepared by the police who were ready for with barriers in place.

RMT is appalled to hear that Uganda's proposed 'Kill the Gays' bill has been placed on the schedule of the country's Parliament and may be debated later today or sometime very soon.

We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Frank Mugisha, executive director of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), and all people fighting the Ugandan Parliament to get rid of this draconian anti-gay legislation.

We join others in describing the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality bill as abhorrent and an offence to decency.

Responding to a resolution from the LGBT Advisory Committee, RMT's Council of Executives has made this decision: We note that this is already Union policy and this horrendous attack on under 25s is part of this rotten Government's attacks on working people and noting that our LGBT members feel under further attack as many of them are trapped in circumstances where they are afraid to 'come out', which causes them more problems. The General Secretary is instructed to write to the TUC explaining our position and we are already campaigning with other groups eg.

RMT Council of Executives decision:

We note the item from the LGBT Advisory Committee and we instruct the General Secretary to:

1. Support campaigns against anti-gay organisations that fraudulently and harmfully claim they are able to ‘cure’ homosexuality.
2. Support and mobilise for appropriate protest actions on this issue to bring the fake business of ‘reparative therapy’ to an end.
   

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow has signed up the RMT to a local community safety scheme, CLASP, to show that we are LGBT friendly.

The RMT Head Office in Camden now has a sticker on display in the window to demonstrate that the building is a 'safe place' for LGBT people should they need a place of refuge whilst near to the building.

On Tuesday 20th November 2012, RMT activists plan to stage a demonstration outside the Embassy of the Russian Federation, in protest at the violation of the rights of LGBT Russians.
We will meet-up at Notting Hill Gate Tube Station at 2:30pm and walk together to the Russian Embassy in Kensington Palace Gardens where we will stage our demo and deliver the RMT protest letter below.

To The Embassy of The Russian Federation

VIOLATION OF RIGHTS OF LGBT RUSSIANS

LGBT History month takes place each February. This pre launch event may be of interest to RMT members, family and friends.

A whole day celebrating the life of Alan Turing and investigating the role of maths, science and engineering
in the past, the present and the future.

OBJECTIVES

• To raise the profile of Alan Turing
• To raise the profile of LGBT people in science, maths and engineering
• To increase the profile of LGBT people in education

The morning will have educational and LGBT related activities for schools.

The latest edition of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender newsletter 'Standing Proud' is now available.

It has stories on recent meetings and events including our successful demonstration at the Zimbabwe embassy against anti - gay activities carried out by the Zimbabwean government, and also the motions passed at the recent LGBT Advisory committee.