GMB Statement on transphobia

[MingeofDeath]

www.gmb.org.uk/online-Q-A

"We will immediately pause our Mumsnet work, thoroughly review and meaningfully engage with our members and activists, about how best to reach working parents whilst continuing to support all our members."

I.e. lets kick it into the long grass.

Don't they realise that the pandemic has triggered an economic crisis, that is happening now. Like front line staff, they should be helping people who need help, without prejudice. I wonder if they will have worked out their policy by the time of the next pandemic.

They justify they are choosing to discriminate against women needing help by pointing to a few aggressive people who post anonymously on a different part of the Forum. (Who, for all we know, may be confused teenagers hiding in the Brighton bedrooms, trying to gain popularity points by posing as super-woke, but coming across as rather dim and very obsessed.) Its a bit like saying GMB would not use Twitter because Trump posts there.

Or perhaps they just don't like women.

whatnow40

I would hope that any union worth its salt would say “we support our members in protecting their rights as determined by the law, and nothing else”.

meaningfully engage with our members and activists

Apart from how you 'meaningfully engage' when you're at home - that kind of wanky jargon in itself is a red flag as about a decade and a half out of date -

'our activists'?

It's less than 'not liking' women. Because I'll bet there is not a single 'activist' they 'meaningfully engage with' whose focus is female humans. This is an actively anti female organisation.

Which is fine, but they should be open and honest about it, and allow union members to choose: particularly the female ones, about whether they wish to be represented by an organisation who believes in the erasure, suppression and subordination of humans unlucky enough to be born female in this society.

My question is rapidly becoming @MNHQ this organisation seems concerningly anti female humans, I appreciate that money from anywhere at this point is necessary for businesses trying to survive the Covid situation, but in the long term are they really a group that female parents or your brand benefit from being anywhere near?

You may have exposed a rather nasty truth about this particular union and their failure to be honest with female customers and potential customers about their - shall we say, unusual values and distinctions between how they feel male people should be treated, compared to how female people should be treated.

You may have exposed a rather nasty truth about this particular union and their failure to be honest with female customers and potential customers about their - shall we say, unusual values and distinctions between how they feel male people should be treated, compared to how female people should be treated.

And, given that they are a union, how quickly they cave in to some minor public heckling from randoms on twitter.

If they cave that quickly in the face of Twitter comments imagine how useless they'd be negotiating with an employer on your behalf.

If I was a GMB member I think I’d have left by now.

Although have they actually responded yet or is there still a chance they might decide that they do represent women?

I'm impressed with the speedy reply, however, that is all. Time to cancel my DD I think.

"Unite is committed to Equalities for all. We encourage and support employers/workplaces who – where practicably possible - introduce gender neutral facilities on to their sites.

I have attached 2 Unite links for your information and hope this helps.

https://unitetheunion.org//_

https://unitetheunion.org/what-we-do/equalities//_

So if its OK for organisations to collectively 'punish' or exclude women on the basis that they dont like what a few of those women may have said or done, then it's also ok for the same logic to apply to other groups, such as transwomen, yes?

I hope his gets picked up by the press.

Taking a step back, it is truly astounding.

A whole raft of workers are very worried about their future and will actively be considering joining or rejoining a Union.

There are so many issues. The application of furlough as the Chancellor tries to get the economy restarted and to ease people back into work. Redundancy as firms don't restart or only partly restart. H&S , social distancing etc. Work performance issues whilst schools and childcare remain partially closed, which will affect women, particularly single mums, disproportionately, maternity issues (glad to see MN are covering this.) Increased workloads, eg for University staff having to quickly prepare online material. And so on.

This was a great opportunity for Unions to become a force in the modern workplace, especially in female dominated workplaces. And to regain the momentum and status, they and the Labour movement enjoyed a century ago.

Instead GMB, and posters like FalseImage don't seem to be able to see beyond the trans issue. It is bizarre, and totally wrong. I can almost see Dominic Cummings celebrating.

The GMB have just shown their true colours. Even if they did come back for a 'chat' they have shown their true colours and priorities.

They have demonstrated perfectly why women cannot be certain that they will stand up and support them.

Have mixed-sex loos and changing areas at work? Have someone on a female-only list who self-ids as a woman part of the week (yes, we know who this is) - and they not only 'win' industry awards but get paid more (for being male), been threatened for stating primary school biology? Are a woman? - Jog on then, you're on your own.

Instead GMB, and posters like FalseImage don't seem to be able to see beyond the trans issue. It is bizarre, and totally wrong. I can almost see Dominic Cummings celebrating.

Indeed. He could catchphrase it as "unions - what's the point?"

Any one remember the awful trades unions congress around the time of the GRA consultation? I don't recommend looking for and watching it on YouTube if you value your healthy blood pressure.

I work in a field where I am particularly vulnerable to malicious accusations. I have seen it happen from the other side (as a client) before I worked in this field. That is why I joined a union. The other most likely reasons for me to need the support of a union are employment issues due to misogyny or sex discrimination.

But if the unions refuse to support women in issues related directly to being women, what is the point of my membership?

I am not a socialist. I did not vote in the Labour leadership elections, even though as a union member I was eligible to vote, mostly because I felt it would be hypocritical to do so. But in general unions do important welfare work, so I have been happy for my dues to be used to support this, even if I don't agree with the politics.

But now? When the unions are united in their dismissal of women and their employment issues?

Maybe I'd be better off putting my union dues towards an insurance policy guaranteeing legal representation whenever I need it.

@TheProdigalKittensReturn

Instead GMB, and posters like FalseImage don't seem to be able to see beyond the trans issue. It is bizarre, and totally wrong. I can almost see Dominic Cummings celebrating.

Indeed. He could catchphrase it as "unions - what's the point?"

Absolutely.

Sometimes I wonder if the whole trans debacle is a clever tactic by the neoliberal forces out there to entirely undermine, discredit and dismantle the effectiveness of the left.

All those accusations that the gc movement is funded by shadowy overseas groups. Which I find highly unlikely. I wonder if there's a reason they make those accusations? That Jess Bradley gets Carter Ruck as lawyers, etc?

Sometimes I wonder if the whole trans debacle is a clever tactic by the neoliberal forces out there to entirely undermine, discredit and dismantle the effectiveness of the left.

Cummings may be Machiavellian, but not that much. The left are doing this to themselves.

(I am not socialist, but absolutely support organisations and structures that protect the most vulnerable. Unions should be part of that.)

Did they release a statement in the end?

I don't think they did. Spineless weasels.

So they are going to fight your corner in a dispute? Or run away crying? Reminds me - Audible are still hiding their misogyny. How brave they are.

UPDATE

Do not read if you’re cross already! Re-posting this here to give a conclusion to the original OP.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/site_stuff/3920256-MNHQ-I-hope-you-are-going-to-release-your-own-statement-on-GMB-Union?msgid=97363627

RowanMumsnet (MNHQ) Thu 11-Jun-20 16:53:28

Hello

We received this statement today from the GMB:

GMB’s Central Executive Council - the lay member governing body of GMB - met last week and discussed our joint project working with Mumsnet.

On the back of a number of concerns from members and equality activists, the CEC voted not to proceed with our scheduled Q&A sessions.

The intention of the sessions was to reach out to working parents at a time of great insecurity - the last thing we would ever want is to cause harm or upset to our LGBT+ members, many of whom may be parents themselves. We of course apologise for any offence this may have caused.

GMB is a proud and staunch ally in the fight for trans rights. We are a member-led union that has a history of fighting for equality for all. As we look forward to Pride events this month and next, we continue to stand in solidarity with all of our LGBT+ siblings.

Justine has just sent this response (John is the acting General Secretary of the GMB):

Dear John,

We are incredibly disappointed that the GMB has taken the decision to cancel their activity on Mumsnet. We’ve wholeheartedly supported and campaigned for LGBT rights for 20 years, and our millions of users include trans people, gay people, and parents of trans and gay children, who will be bewildered by the GMB’s stance.

It’s ironic that the GMB itself, and the activists who target Mumsnet, continue to use and support Twitter and Facebook, whose moderation standards are lamentable compared to ours. The outright, hateful homophobia, racism, misogyny and transphobia that we see (and report) on these platforms wouldn’t stand for more than a couple of minutes on Mumsnet. We can only conclude the animus against Mumsnet is motivated by the fact that we are a site used overwhelmingly by women.

In that light it’s even more disappointing that the GMB, having asked Mumsnet users in precarious employment situations to share their questions, has left these women’s questions unanswered. The failure to stand in solidarity with these workers has truly surprised us. Fortunately there are other organisations that are able and willing to step up and help - because while Twitter wars rage on, parents in badly-paid, insecure work are suffering through the worst economic crisis of a generation.

Best regards,
Justine

Christ... the depths that organisations and individuals will stoop to privilege male entitlement and to slap down women still shock me. Shame on you GMB.

Great reply from Justine, what a bunch of spineless fools.

And that is an excellent letter from Justine.

That’s woke beardy bros for you. All champions of the working class on top. And vegan Doc Martens firmly planted in the necks of women below.

Although now they might be wearing a pretty floral sundress with the dics docs (autocorrect wrote that joke).

Excellent response from Justine Roberts.

Such short sightedness from the GMB. Cant they read the room?