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Original poster

Trade unions are betraying women workers

41 replies

FindTheTruth · 12/06/2021 05:49

the labour movement should be protecting everyone’s rights
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/trade-unions-are-betraying-women-workers-7vnht2sq8

(sorry don't have a share token)

OP posts:
highame · 12/06/2021 08:54

Unions were founded on the principle of a family wage. A man should earn enough to feed and look after his family. Those were the days when women worked in the home and men went out to work. When that changed, the unions were so entrenched that they never moved forward and I still think they work on the principle that men should earn enough for the family.

I am Labour (well, I've pressed the pause button) but I have never been pro union. Most of my arguments with my dad were about their lack of support for women (but I also had that gripe about Labour). I have never expected Labour to support me as a women but my hope has always been that they eventually would. The self-id debacle leaves me knowing that they never have and never will change.

There is no political party that supports me fully and entirely as a GC feminist.

NCtitleofyoursextape · 12/06/2021 08:39

Excellent article snd excellent point. Imagine if we’d had some common sense from unions, how much easier this would have been, but no, like every single other organisation, they hung women out to dry on this issue. Shame on them. This issue is why I stopped campaigning for the Labour Party.

ValancyRedfern · 12/06/2021 08:25

The only reason I stay in the NEU is because Kiri Tunks is in it.

PearPickingPorky · 12/06/2021 08:23

I have always felt that Unions don't help women to anywhere near the same extent as they help men. Male-dominated jobs seem to do very well out of unionisation, with regards to their pay and terms. However, look at female-dominates professions, despite unions, they don't get anywhere.

The sexism is institutional.

And then all this happened, and it really demonstrated starkly that unions have never had interest whatsoever in supporting the fair treatment of women.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 12/06/2021 07:41

That's an excellent article by Sarah Ditum. Thanks for the share token, Errol!

Original poster
FindTheTruth · 12/06/2021 07:40

What I don't understand is why women pay subs to them and not start a new TU supporting all workers.

This Kiri Tunks speech is a good summary of the history (TUs started by women) and current situation (majority of members are women but women are not represented)
womansplaceuk.org/2020/03/10/you-ignore-us-at-your-peril-kiri-tunks/

Genuine question - why not start a new TU?

OP posts:
Floisme · 12/06/2021 07:39

Thanks for the link. I'm absolutely disgusted with that TUC response. If I ended up in a dispute at work over this issue there's no way I'd involve my union.
I've been a member for 40-odd years and - in my workforce at least - we're a vanishing breed and it serves them right.

fireproofwitch · 12/06/2021 07:32

Thanks for the share token. It is an excellent article. It is very depressing to see how unions abandoned women.

WhereAreWeNow · 12/06/2021 07:19

Thanks @ErrolTheDragon. It's a good piece. I'm still paying my union dues but I share Sarah Ditum's view that unions have let women down badly on this issue. That line about allowing LGBT committees to dictate policy is so true. I thought that TUC tweet in response to Maya's victory was woeful. So mealy mouthed. How can an organisation that represents so many women and is led by a woman get it so horribly wrong?!

HeavenHotel · 12/06/2021 07:13

Thanks errol thst one works.

Great piece!

FOJN · 12/06/2021 07:07

That's a very good opinion piece. Great to see the Staniland question in the comments section.

ErrolTheDragon · 12/06/2021 06:46

See if this one works (the other does for me but I'm a subscriber)

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/trade-unions-are-betraying-women-workers-7vnht2sq8?shareToken=ad7e48e604f2af1c1f9923792547b9d5

WhereAreWeNow · 12/06/2021 06:43

The share token link isn't working for me.

FindTheTruth · 12/06/2021 06:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Womansisterdaughtermother · 12/06/2021 06:09

Excellent opinion piece once again from The Times. Subscribe and let them know why!

Womansisterdaughtermother · 12/06/2021 06:08

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/b867711c-caf4-11eb-b255-82dcc5007185?Share Token=32e21888dc2ceec82f8e1e87b75894aa