GSG 01-19 Branch Equality Representative
09/January/2019
Description
At the Biennial Delegates’ Conference 2018, it was agreed that the Equality Representative role would become an elected position within Branch structures in line with other elected positions. This would involve the Branch committee electing from the committee one member to be the Equality Representative at the first committee meeting after the AGM. That person would then be the nominated Equality Representative for the Branch and would attend training in head office for that role. Branches who already have a recently trained Equality Representative and who has remained on the committee can also be nominated for election.
The Equality Representative Role consists of, but is not limited to the following:
- Assisting the Branch Secretary with equality related matters.
- Advocating equality issues at local level
- Assessing the workplace and liaising with the Branch committee to see what equality enhancements could be made
- Addressing the equality agenda at Branch AGMs and at committee meetings
- Compiling an annual report on equality activities to head office
Equality Representative training is based primarily on the nine grounds of discrimination under employment equality legislation and deals with such matters as work life balance, statutory and non-statutory leave, disability in the workplace etc.
Given the success of the training to date and the work done in this area, the Union believes that this elected role will be a welcome development and will assist to mainstream the equality agenda further within the CWU.
I am asking that each Branch return the name of their elected Equality Representative from the Branch Committee to Head Office as early as possible after their first committee meeting and at the latest by Friday 22nd March.
This information should be emailed to Carol at carol@cwu.ie