NATFHE is one of the few unions to have a range of reserved seats on its National Executive Council.

There are five reserved seats for women. In addition, women's seats are guaranteed by the rule which says if there is a two-seat constituency, one of those elected must be a woman (if one has stood).

There are two seats reserved for black members, one of which must be a woman.

There is one reserved seat for a disabled member.

There is one reserved seat for a lesbian and gay member.

The four people in these reserved seats, together with eight others elected by the National Executive Council, make up the Equality Committee, whose remit is the formation and implementation of equality policies.

In addition, there is a body called the Equal Opportunities Advisory Council, which meets termly. Each of NATFHE's fourteen regions is entitled to send one black member, one disabled member, one lesbian and gay member and one woman member to this. The four groups meet separately in the morning and together in the afternoon. Its remit is to advise the NEC and National Conference (to which it can send four motions) on issues of concern in the equality field and to ensure that the concerns of the four specified groups of members are met.

Equality issues always feature substantially on the agenda of National Conference, brought by the Equal Opportunities Advisory Council, but also by regions.

Outside the formal structures, there are also occasional conferences for specific groups of members. We are currently on a three year cycle, with conferences for disabled members and lesbian and gay members in 2000, for women members and black members in 2001, and a generic Equality Conference in 2002.

In addition, there are a number of training courses on equality issues in the national training programme, and the Equality Unit is planning a programme of regional training for Branch equality officers.

There are also networks for each of the four groups. See the appropriate page for the network that interests you.

Your branch should have an Equality Officer on the Branch Executive.