"After some very moving contributions, TUC unanimously supports gender self-declaration"

[R0wantrees]

Comment by Ian Murch, Treasurer at National Union Of Teachers section of National Education Union

twitter.com/ianmurch/status/1039470003920293888

Lucy Masood:
"Proud of the FBU and PaulEmbery for ensuring that we did not vote to support the GRA Self ID resolution at the TUC today. The FBU cares and listens to its female members"

twitter.com/luluchops1/status/1039475527139164160

There's a list of unions who are members of the TUC here:

www.tuc.org.uk/unions

Bugger - could you frame it as a question around the recent coverage of the academic hit list & ask whether the Union can give assurances that female academics will receive the support of their union in fighting disciplinary cases that are launched on the back of targetted harrassment by TRAs? You could cite the lack of consultation as a worrying sign that the Union won’t support GC women.

"Mark Fairhurst, acting general secretary of the Prison Officers’ Association, said the rapist’s placement among women prisoners was “disgraceful”, adding: “We would demand a full inquiry and we would expect disciplinary action to be taken against decision makers.” " From the Sunday Times article.

Two days later Prison Officers Assoc vote in support of self-ID (POA on that TUC list). Can they not join the dots?

The point is that universities should be places which are open to debate and discussion. That is their raisin d’etre (sp). Universities should also be creating learners who ask questions and do not close off answers because they sit difficulty with them.
That is aside from the fact that female bodied people should be able to express concerns about laws and actions which target or affect female-bodied people and the communities they live and work in.

The first tentative steps I am making are simply to make my (mostly male) colleagues aware of the debate and the difficulty of the terrain for female academics. Simply as a point of fact, with the acknowledgment that people have different views.

And also should add female students to that. But also questioning when people use the word ‘gender’ when they mean ‘sex’ and asking them to clarify what they mean. Get them to think. That is what we are there for, surely.

However, and apologies for multiple points, I think you can ask about it as a point of procedure in a democratic institution. How is it that a vote which potentially affects around half of those in universities was made without consultation and discussion and you learnt about it on Twitter? Simply ask how that came about without disclosing your own position.

Kathleen Stock has tweeted to her union:

"Hello @ ucu. I’m a member. Can you tell me how the decision was reached to vote for this motion on members’ behalf? What consultation was there with members? Was there any special consultation with both trans and female members, both of whom this affects directly?"

twitter.com/Docstockk/status/1039785722159489025

Terrified do let us know if you get anything back from Kiri. I feel really stuck atm - my contracts are very very fragile because of the funding situation, and I would have expected the union to be helpful if I did have to e.g. challenge a dodgy PSHE pack.

What is the stance of the WI?

There is also group called ‘Mothers at home matter’.

Which groups are gender critical?

WI - inclusive of TW.

Good, hard question from Kathleen Stock. It is imperative that UCU works for all of its members.

boatyardblues wrote: Good, hard question from Kathleen Stock.

It's almost as if they didn't want the insight of a leading commentator in this area.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3353260-Kathleen-Stock-womens-organisations-have-decentred-biological-females

Maybedoctor wrote: What is the stance of the WI?

SwearyG broke my heart by revealing that the WI is pursuing young, woke members by decentering biological females in Stock's phrase (or however Posie Parker would express it).

The Cat is out of the bag

StonewallUK give us some clear guidance & information on proposed reforms to the GRA ASLEF union currently speaking in support of Motion 41 #TUC150

Graham Easterlow on twitter (holding a copy of "Some People are Trans Get Over it")

twitter.com/GEasterlowNEU/status/1039463399221014528

Unite have responded to me confirming they voted for the motion. I have replied asking them if they consulted with their members, as I did not recall receiving anything.

Kathleen Stock wrote:

Stop telling us you've reached your position via 'consultation' when in fact you mean Gender Studies academics or trans activists, both of whom assume (ludicrously) there's no such thing as biological sex and so no such thing as sex-based oppression. You know that's nonsense.

From: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3353260-Kathleen-Stock-womens-organisations-have-decentred-biological-females

There are some good instructions from WPUK

1. Contact your union and ask

-how the decision was made -what consultation took place

1. Mark your emails for attention General Secretary & Women’s Officer - use their names if you have them.
2. Cc to your local/regional rep or office and make it clear you are expecting a reply.
3. Follow up in 7 days.
4. Please send WPUK any responses.

Find your union: www.tuc.org.uk/unions

The email for @unitetheunion is missing from the TUC link. Their own website says to use this email executive.council*@unitetheunion*.org

ASLEF, you say?!? Curiouser and curiouser.

See this interesting thread about the fake H&S notice supposedly released to train companies about stickers and razor blades - the one that was investigated by mrkhtake2 and discovered to be bogus.

Then what looks like an internal train safety notice is sent to a news desk, confirmed, then mysteriously deleted by TRA Lee James, the Equalities Advisor for Train Drivers Union ASLEF. Either someone deliberately added a hoax to an internal circular OR it is forged. Both bad.

threadreaderapp.com/thread/1039463478535364610.html

DH is a member of the NEU (was ATL). I'll let him know and he will write to express his disagreement. Does anyone knows who it is best to address such a letter?

Does anyone knows who it is best to address such a letter?

There are instructions (above) from WPUK in my post. Write to the General Secretary and the Women's Officer. Use their names. Copy in your local/regional branch office.

Thanks OtherPam

Ohbuggerandarse sending you lots of strength and power. I hope you find your nerve for the meeting. It's totally understandable but it is honestly, perfectly possible to discuss your concerns without discussing trans. It is entirely reasonable to discuss your concerns and fears about using facilities with anyone who isn't biologically female and your right to feeling safe at work.

Unite have responded to me via Facebook with a reply which implies that they didn't consult at all. I will follow it up with something formal, as the admin person manning the social media channel may not be that well informed.

Well done Trinity it's vital we complain en masse. If complaints are received in volume then we are harder to ignore.

I'm not in an affected union - is this definitely not something that would interest people in AIBU or Chat if an affected person raised a thread and detailed the response so far?

And maybe put in WPUK's advice (upthread)?

I have cancelled my membership and have let them know why, cc women’s officer and general exec email.

I can see the argument of ‘better in than out’, but I think not sending them £15 a month and letting them know their treatment of women is the only reason, is the strongest statement I can make.

relurks