The next STUC LGBT+ Workers’ Conference will take place on the 11-12th May 2024, every year, the EIS sends a delegation of members to jointly advance the trade union movement’s work tackling inequality and furthering the rights and lives of LGBT workers in Scotland.

Pam Currie

I hadn’t been involved in the EIS beyond my own college branch when I attended the first LGBT+ Workers’ Conference in 2011. The conference opened my eyes to the potential for equalities work through the EIS and the wider trade union movement… it’s a brilliant weekend with lots of opportunities for participation (not just speeches!), learning and fun.

Damien Donnelly

I have attended the conference twice now and my first time, in 2022, was my first experience of speaking to such a large group of adults in moving one of our motions. It was a very supportive and inclusive environment and it built my confidence in public speaking so that I then felt able to speak to a couple of motions at our own AGM last year, with a much bigger audience.

There’s great support from fellow delegates and our servicing official, usually the National Officer for Equality, does a fantastic job of ensuring we keep ourselves right and can engage effectively while complying with our democratically determined policies. It’s also fun to meet workers from other sectors and there are opportunities for socialising as well as working!

David Dick

The annual STUC LGBT+ Workers’ Conference is a fantastic opportunity for EIS members to come together, make connections and learn from the wider trade union movement about issues affecting LGBT+ people in Scotland today. The weekend is a mixture of speakers, panel discussions and workshops, along with affiliated unions moving motions designed to inform the work of the STUC for the following year.

There is also a social element to the weekend, with opportunities to share meals and usually a dance or karaoke event on the Saturday. It would be really great to see EIS members attending, especially first-timers. You can come along and observe, there is no requirement to speak at all, although if you wish to do so, that would be most welcome.

The weekend is friendly and encouraging and previous delegates have always spoken about the positive impacts it has made upon them. It is a great way to learn about trade union activity and no prior knowledge is required. It would be fantastic to see you coming along, meeting other EIS colleagues and we can guarantee a warm welcome to all delegates. Hope to see you there in May!

If you are interested in taking part, please first join our LGBT Network by visiting www.eis.org.uk/networks/lgbt