Defending the union’s trans+ members

The union will enhance its efforts to defend the rights of trans+ members, following a motion agreed by delegates at PCS national conference on Wednesday (20).

Motion A348 highlighted that the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is due to update its Code of Practice (for services, public functions and associations), more than a year after it brought in interim guidance following a Supreme Court ruling on the definition of sex in the Equality Act.

In voting for the motion, delegates agreed PCS should call for full parliamentary scrutiny of the new code and seek legal advice to ensure the union is prepared to defend the rights of trans+ members once it comes into force.

This includes further empowering workplace reps to defend trans+ members. 

The motion called for reps and members to receive clear policy advice on their current rights under the Equality Act. Members should additionally be provided with practical guidance on workplace facilities disputes arising from a legal ruling on 13 February, which dismissed a challenge to the interim EHRC guidance on single-sex toilets.

The motion also instructed the NEC to provide “vocal support” for an appeal by the Good Law Project against the High Court’s 13 February ruling on workplace facilities.