UNISON CALLS ON NEW US ADMINISTRATION TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT GOOD FRIDAY AGREEMENT AGAINST THREATS OF EU EXIT
UNISON, alongside our allies from across civic society on both parts of the island of Ireland, welcome President-elect Biden’s continued support for the Good Friday Agreement. We have shared this briefing note with the President-elect’s transition team to highlight the importance of securing guarantees for human rights and equality protections which act as a cornerstone of the Agreement. As the deadline looms for the conclusion of EU-UK negotiations on a future relationship, we have highlighted our collective concern at the threats that exiting the EU presents for our rights and our peace process, particularly the immediate threats posed by the Internal Market Bill.
UNISON this week met with the Ad Hoc Committee on Protecting the Good Friday Agreement, a bi-partisan group of 40 American experts dedicated to protecting the Good Friday Agreement, further to our previous successful engagements with them and other US political leaders over the last 18 months. We continue to advise and inform them on how they can use their influence to protect our rights.
As the UK seeks a trade deal with the US, US political leaders including President-elect Biden and Speaker Nancy Pelosi have been very clear that they will not allow a trade deal that compromises the Good Friday Agreement. UNISON is very clear that we will not accept any attempt to put our NHS up for sale nor will we allow a free trade deal that leads to major de-regulation of workers’ rights or product standards.
You can read press coverage of our continuing activities here: