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Equality Officer

The branch equality officer has a number of important functions. It is not expected that
the office holder will be the font of all knowledge on every equality issue, nor carry sole
responsibility for the branch’s equality work. Everyone shares responsibility for tackling prejudice and discrimination and promoting equality. The role of the branch equality officer is to co-ordinate and monitor this shared responsibility.

Tasks relating to the office of equality officer:

to be the identified and well publicised point of contact in the branch for equality issues
to collect and share information on equalities issues, including information from the
regional and national self-organised groups
to make sure other branch officers and the branch committee consider the equalities
dimension of everything they do
to make sure “equal opportunities” is being raised in all collective bargaining – not just in bargaining on ‘pure’ equalities issues
to encourage and support the development of branch self-organised groups on behalf of the branch committee
to have a co-ordinating role among the self-organised groups, and between the selforganised groups and the rest of the branch
to make sure new recruits know about UNISON’s commitment to equality and
opportunities to participate in self-organisation
to advise the branch officers and branch committee on the development and monitoring of the action plan to achieve proportionality and fair representation;
to co-ordinate the development and training of members from under-represented
groups.
to coordinate motions and support to delegates attending self-organised group conferences

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