Unison elects first woman General Secretary

[teawamutu]

Which ought to be good news, but anyone know if she's any good on actual women's rights?

www.unison.org.uk/news/2021/01/christina-mcanea-new-general-secretary-unison/

Doubt it, I think all TUs are in the TWAW camp

Hopefully she'll have more idea than a man would about the real issues affecting many women, especially now.

I was expecting a TW.

The TU movement has always suffered from people rising to office that have their own political agenda. When I was on UNISON regional committees it was dominated by the SWP. I was criticised for being a reformist many times. Block voting at conferences left me disillusioned. You have a mandate from your branch you could be casting thousands of votes but only the very interested will have bothered to go to that branch meeting to actually have their say. I know it’s down to the individual but it just wasn’t always a true reflection with such a small quorum.

Maybe it’s changed, any current trade union activists care to share how the in house system currently works is voting at conference like this still happening?

Solid work credentials - raised in Drumchapel, Glasgow. I hope she really stands up for women. She MUST understand the issues surely? I live in hope until I’m informed otherwise.

.... anyone know if she's any good on actual women's rights?

Come to that, does anyone know if [pronoun] is an actual woman?

Hmmm

www.unison.org.uk/news/article/2020/09/theyve-done-ignite-toxic-debate/

twitter.com/cmcanea/status/1289162886900625409?s=21

I wouldn’t hold your breath....

I’m hopeful. She endorsed the use of the following ‘Scottish Women’s Anthem’ by Shaz Martin in what I assume was her campaign to become leader? Or it was for another campaign but either way, if you watch the video with it’s great images of sporting women in a variety of women’s sport including athletics, gymnastics, rugby, football, swimming, netball etc..., you get the impression that she’s at the very least behind fair play for women in sport. It’s a rousing tune with lots of saltires as you’d expect but I found it quite moving - mainly because it showed me the fantastic achievements of women in sport and what is potentially at risk if we chose to lose the definition of what a woman is. m.youtube.com/watch?v=zoL8B3xTKaI&feature=share

Let’s hope she’s open to some dialogue on this. And not on Twitter. Supportive statements on Trans rights does not (have to) negate Women’s Rights. She has a huge responsibility as leader of Unison to give this issue proper examination. She could do so much good, especially for the women she represents. I’ve got to have some Hope here otherwise I’m fucking going to lose it!

She does look reassuringly sensible. However I cannot imagine she'd have got elected without toeing the line.

Wasn't who I wanted, I'm not sure we should just be pleased because it is a woman.

I agree GreatWave - especially after the Labour leadership contest. The question is whether she'll stand up for women.

@Floisme

She does look reassuringly sensible. However I cannot imagine she'd have got elected without toeing the line.

Oh she does - according to her twitter she is an active and committed trans ally.

So no hope there sadly.

As in she does toe the line (although on the surface she looks fairly sensible)

Women and unions are anathema, she will be towing the line

I too support "trans rights", I just don't believe people change sex and I don't care about anyones gender identity in single-sex spaces, services or sports.

There is a chance she is doing the meaningless platitudes.

Is it terrible that when I heard 'the first woman to ...' on the radio, my reflex thought was 'Assuming she is a woman.'? So damned used to 'the first woman to ...' describing a male.

@WhereYouLeftIt

Is it terrible that when I heard 'the first woman to ...' on the radio, my reflex thought was 'Assuming she is a woman.'? So damned used to 'the first woman to ...' describing a male.

Same here

Me too.

I think she's probably pretty good on women's rights. However I suspect she has also bowed to the pressure of a very loud TRA lobby in Unison and will happily affirm that TWAW whenever it's politically expedient to do so.

Woman? 😒 I’m sure they are the right type with the right thinking. They don’t like women getting ideas over there do they?

I really would not get excited about this woman.

I think Unison has made its opinion of women pretty clear, so I can only assume this is a person who will go along with that.