NEU Equality Conferences

There are three annual conferences for

These conferences meet annually and agree a motion which is sent forward to NEU National Conference. For more details of these conferences please email alex.kenny@exec.neu.org.uk

These three groups also have their own Reserved Place Executive Member. This is because members of these groups are in a minority in the Union and they are under-represented.

There is currently no annual conference for women and no reserved Executive seat.

Women

Women make up 76% of the Union but despite being the majority group are still under-represented in union roles apart from school reps where the figure is proportionate. The figures for Divisional Secretaries are on the increase.

Because women make up the bulk of the Union’s membership, the strategy of the Union has been to increase the engagement of women at all levels of the union through a holistic approach to training, membership, activism, membership on delegations and action.

The Union is also encouraging the creation of self-organising networks like the NEU Women’s Networks.

There have also been structural changes to the way speakers are organised at National Conference to facilitate the better involvement of women in debates. This has made a big difference to the gender balance in Conference debates and has also seen a general rise in democracy for all delegates in Conference.