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Unison Women's Conference motion "trans women are women" as nurses battle NHS for single sex facilities

145 replies

IwantToRetire · 10/02/2025 20:47

the Unison motion, put forward by the union’s Camden branch, asserts that “trans women are women and trans men are men”.

It goes on to denounce the idea that allowing trans women to access female spaces will mean women lose rights and claims women have “a vested interest in standing alongside our trans comrades”.

Unison’s national women’s conference, to begin in Edinburgh on Thursday, is expected to pass a call to produce a “myth-busting factsheet” which would “counter the idea” that trans and women’s rights are ever in conflict.

The motion, which insiders said they believed would likely pass, states that “gender-critical groups and individuals often organise around women-only spaces and the idea that trans people having rights means that women will lose rights.”

It adds “women’s rights are not diminished by trans people having more rights” and calls for literature to be created “to counter the idea that an increase in trans rights would mean a decrease in the rights of others”.

Just extracts - full story here https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/02/09/trade-union-accused-betraying-women-pushing-trans-agenda/
and here https://archive.is/pG6IV

OP posts:
PachacutisBadAuntie · 17/02/2025 15:39

GargoylesofBeelzebub · 17/02/2025 15:37

Oh this seems to have been removed now. 🤔

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Working ok for me just now?

GargoylesofBeelzebub · 17/02/2025 15:37

NoWordForFluffy · 16/02/2025 18:47

Here is a bit about gender critical cases and their stance: workaffinity.co.uk/employers-must-respect-the-law-on-freedom-of-expression/

Oh this seems to have been removed now. 🤔

ArabellaScott · 17/02/2025 13:50

Looks like women are leaving trade unions. (As well as men, but more women seem to be leaving).

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9785/

'Membership levels for women in employment decreased to 3.55 million in 2022, 115,000 fewer than in 2021. Membership levels for men in employment decreased to 2.70 million in 2022, 85,000 fewer than in 2021.'

(may of course be various reasons for that!)

duc748 · 17/02/2025 00:48

I do wonder, though, all these 'new' unions; I mean, most unions are long-established, they have mass membership, income, head offices, full-time staff, etc. How do new unions just spring up? How much clout do they have? Who funds them?

LittleBigHead · 17/02/2025 00:22

Maray1967 · 16/02/2025 00:40

So am I - resigned from UCU over 3 years ago.

I had been a member (NATFHE then UCU) for thirty years. I ticked the ‘dissatisfied’ option. No one contacted me to ask what the issue was. That’s how much UCU care about members.

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I gave a long paragraph on their preference for looking after men than women. But no response …

ArabellaScott · 16/02/2025 20:14

NoWordForFluffy · 16/02/2025 18:47

Here is a bit about gender critical cases and their stance: workaffinity.co.uk/employers-must-respect-the-law-on-freedom-of-expression/

Ooh. That's good! Robust, fair, sensible. Excellent.

NoWordForFluffy · 16/02/2025 19:35

PachacutisBadAuntie · 16/02/2025 19:07

@NoWordForFluffy Well I think that's pretty clear.

'often incoherent' 😂

Edited

I think we can all relate to that assessment! 🤣

PachacutisBadAuntie · 16/02/2025 19:07

@NoWordForFluffy Well I think that's pretty clear.

'often incoherent' 😂

NoWordForFluffy · 16/02/2025 18:47

Here is a bit about gender critical cases and their stance: workaffinity.co.uk/employers-must-respect-the-law-on-freedom-of-expression/

JellySaurus · 16/02/2025 18:09

Supporterofwomensrights · 16/02/2025 13:25

I've never been a member of a union but given my GC views (and my job does involve regular contact with transgender people), I would be interested in joining one that understands these issues. I took a look at Affinity and clicked on a random story and, at the bottom of the page (link below), there was a section headed 'Malign Intent'. It explains that they have come across a small number of unscrupulous employees who are trying to get money out of employers and they are not genuine. This is the sort of cover that the likes of Unison would use.

It was this page: https://workaffinity.co.uk/we-dont-give-up/

So, does anyone know, do they have a track record of actually helping GC women?

I ran a search on the word 'gender' and there's a little bit about freedom of speech/expression but I would have thought a TU that understood what GC people have been dealing with would have returned more results.

A search on the word 'women' returned stories that could include trans-identifying-men (equal pay / pensions).

Oh.

Need to find out more before I take out membership.

JellySaurus · 16/02/2025 18:07

SionnachRuadh · 16/02/2025 17:56

I'm not currently a union member and might have to shop around for one.

The default union for my job is PCS, but I have several reasons (not just genderwoo) for not wanting to join them. I've been thinking about FDA, who I suspect may be wobbly on this issue, but they're generally much more pragmatic and less ideological than PCS.

There's a gap in the market for any union that will unequivocally defend GC women.

Affinity have been recommended on this board.

SionnachRuadh · 16/02/2025 17:56

I'm not currently a union member and might have to shop around for one.

The default union for my job is PCS, but I have several reasons (not just genderwoo) for not wanting to join them. I've been thinking about FDA, who I suspect may be wobbly on this issue, but they're generally much more pragmatic and less ideological than PCS.

There's a gap in the market for any union that will unequivocally defend GC women.

oOiluvfriendsOo · 16/02/2025 13:34

I am a Unison member. Give me an hour and I'll be an 'ex' member.

PachacutisBadAuntie · 16/02/2025 13:33

@Supporterofwomensrights having listened to the latest episode of Employment Law Matters, I'm happy to go on Daniel Barnett's recommendation
(Edited for spelling/self pedantry)

Supporterofwomensrights · 16/02/2025 13:25

I've never been a member of a union but given my GC views (and my job does involve regular contact with transgender people), I would be interested in joining one that understands these issues. I took a look at Affinity and clicked on a random story and, at the bottom of the page (link below), there was a section headed 'Malign Intent'. It explains that they have come across a small number of unscrupulous employees who are trying to get money out of employers and they are not genuine. This is the sort of cover that the likes of Unison would use.

It was this page: https://workaffinity.co.uk/we-dont-give-up/

So, does anyone know, do they have a track record of actually helping GC women?

I ran a search on the word 'gender' and there's a little bit about freedom of speech/expression but I would have thought a TU that understood what GC people have been dealing with would have returned more results.

A search on the word 'women' returned stories that could include trans-identifying-men (equal pay / pensions).

SionnachRuadh · 16/02/2025 12:59

Liz Wheatley gave a quote to Socialist Worker? So we might read that as "I don't want terfs in our union, but rape defenders are fine".

Of course the SWP are firmly TWAW these days, but privileging the dick is very much on brand for them.

NoWordForFluffy · 16/02/2025 12:57

My mum used to be the Unison rep for her local council. There's no way on earth she'd have the role now, as she certainly wouldn't be prepared to be a handmaiden!

PachacutisBadAuntie · 16/02/2025 12:53

I remember a Unison rep coming round at work a couple of years back. She asked if I was interested in joining and I said no thanks. She asked why and because there was someone else in the room, I said we'd have to go somewhere quiet and have quite a long conversation about that. Hopefully she got the message.

PachacutisBadAuntie · 16/02/2025 12:49

NoWordForFluffy · 16/02/2025 12:17

And the chap who did the riveting podcast with her on bundles.

That could be read as sarcastic! 🤣

Hopefully we can get Affinity a boost in membership.

I've just filled in the web form!

NoWordForFluffy · 16/02/2025 12:17

And the chap who did the riveting podcast with her on bundles.

That could be read as sarcastic! 🤣

Hopefully we can get Affinity a boost in membership.

CriticalCondition · 16/02/2025 11:55

I clicked on that Affinity union link and was pleased to see it is the union recommended by employment barrister Daniel Barnett, Naomi Cunningham's roommate in chambers no less! And the chap who did the riveting podcast with her on bundles.

Maray1967 · 16/02/2025 00:40

NoWordForFluffy · 11/02/2025 18:49

I'm a member of this union which I believe isn't captured!

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So am I - resigned from UCU over 3 years ago.

I had been a member (NATFHE then UCU) for thirty years. I ticked the ‘dissatisfied’ option. No one contacted me to ask what the issue was. That’s how much UCU care about members.

ElizaMulvil · 16/02/2025 00:37

LittleBigHead · 15/02/2025 07:38

Unions have historically always been patriarchal. It was unions which opposed equal pay.

Some Unions opposed equal pay it is true eg the NAS ( National Association of School MASTERS, men only union of course) broke away from NUT( National Union of Teachers) on this question because the NUT was campaigning for equal pay and it was progressively brought in in 1950s.

On the other hand, David Ainley, the joint Unions' Convenor at Fairey Aviation in Heaton Chapel campaigned and won equal pay for women members early in WW2.

duc748 · 16/02/2025 00:33

It's a good question, though. The old Left used to pride itself on analysis. Nowadays, with a few exceptions, lazy group-think seems to have replaced it.