25/03/2021
Christina McAnea, the new general secretary of UNISON, the UK’s largest trade union, and whose membership includes many black, LGBTQ and women members working in relatively low paid work, has added her voice to concern over the government’s plans to curtain freedom of assembly and the right to protest. Ms McAnea writes for the union’s magazine “UNISON has several serious concerns about this proposed legislation that would seriously affect our ability to protest peacefully, effectively and free from undue interference on the right to freedom of expression.” SHe also described it as one of the serious curtailments in freedom of expression she had ever witnessed. Meanwhile, addressing the outpouring of grief over the murder of Sarah Everard, the head of UNISON said “this terrible crime has jump-started a national conversation about male violence towards women that we must build on and ensure results in positive action for the future. Because the tragic reality is that in 2021 women still do not feel safe on our streets.”