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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

PCS - civil service union - and Unite - protest against women's rights event in Edinburgh

164 replies

ArabellaScott · 06/04/2024 18:00

Images from Susan Dalgety.

The event was of course 'Let Women Speak' at the mound.

Why were PCOS and Unite protesting against it?

https://twitter.com/DalgetySusan/status/1776588747368177981/photo/1

PCS - civil service union - and Unite - protest against women's rights event in Edinburgh
PCS - civil service union - and Unite - protest against women's rights event in Edinburgh
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9
IcakethereforeIam · 08/04/2024 20:23

I like it, it's right up there with the 'man on the Clapham omnibus'. I enjoyed the turn that Tinsel gave it.

WhereAreWeNow · 08/04/2024 20:32

AIstolemylunch · 08/04/2024 11:23

Not for me to say. I chose the stroppiest 😀I also looked for one that seemed to have the least political affiliation where my subs werent going to be very obviously going to fund the Labour Party, who I am not very fond of anymore. Not easy, maybe not even possible. Its not a situation without compromise.

I have a family member in a senior position at GMB and they seem somewhat reasonable (not the one I joined) but, as even he says, their official position is unquestioning support for Labour and that TWAW. I think you may have to look past the ideological capture in the case of unions and focus on the good which they undoubtedly do at the individual case level. I've seen this with my family member, support for junior doctors, better conditions for refuse workers, cotton uniforms for supermarket workers as the menopausal women were suffering in nylon etc. etc. They are also very helpful in sex discrimination cases.

I wouldn't join GMB personally because of their position on prostitution (which is full on SWIW to the point of setting up a 'union branch for sex workers'... which had about 10 members all of whom were brothel/escort agency owners). They're also TWAW. They haven't come out of the Karon Monaghan report looking good either. I'd go so far as to say the GMB has a massive woman problem!

AdamRyan · 08/04/2024 20:45

TinselAngel · 08/04/2024 20:02

"Horny handed sons of toil" is a well know phrase in left wing politics. I'm surprised you've not heard of it Adam. Given its origins are Victorian, yes they are likely to be "classist".

As I keep saying, I'm actually not very left wing at all 😂

AIstolemylunch · 08/04/2024 21:02

WhereAreWeNow · 08/04/2024 20:32

I wouldn't join GMB personally because of their position on prostitution (which is full on SWIW to the point of setting up a 'union branch for sex workers'... which had about 10 members all of whom were brothel/escort agency owners). They're also TWAW. They haven't come out of the Karon Monaghan report looking good either. I'd go so far as to say the GMB has a massive woman problem!

Quite, as I said, they are problematic on the TWAW front and yes on prostitution being harmless sex work, both positions I completely disagree with. However, you'll be hard pressed to find a union that didn't officially hold those positions. But as I said, the reason I didnt choose GMB is their particularly close relationship with Labour/Momentum.

However I do see, through my fmaily memebr and his colleagues, that many of them also dont really believe in the TWAW position and are increasingly fruatrated by men cheating in women's sports, and they tend to focus more on helping individual members who are being railroaded by large organisations.

That's why I joined a union, for selfish reasons to do with my particular work context, but you'll never find one that isnt also problematic to a feminist position.

TinselAngel · 08/04/2024 21:22

As I keep saying, I'm actually not very left wing at all

Clearly.

WhereAreWeNow · 08/04/2024 21:25

I agree @AIstolemylunch . I. A union member. My union is far from perfect but it's important to me to be in a union. I think it's important not to assume that a mad policy position (TWAW for instance) or some members turning up at the Edinburgh event with union flags means that the whole union is captured.
Some of these unions have the best part of a million members and I guarantee they don't all sign up to the craziness.
I think some of this stuff (trans, sex work) is really testing unions' democratic processes. How informed are the people voting on policies at conferences? How easy is it for anyone to speak against a motion saying TWAW? Not easy at all. That's why we've ended up with so many unions in such shitty places.

Hoardasauruskaren · 08/04/2024 21:49

So annoyed that I have to be in a union for public liability insurance ! And unfortunately all the health workers unions are captured ! 🤬🤬🤬

Janie143 · 09/04/2024 00:07

I was in Manchester Victoria railway station. Manchester Bee in suffragette colours sponsored by Unison. I know its the colour of their logo but looks very off considering union's attitude to women generally.

Janie143 · 09/04/2024 00:09

Forgot pic

PCS - civil service union - and Unite - protest against women's rights event in Edinburgh
SinnerBoy · 09/04/2024 11:09

*AdamRyan^ · Yesterday 19:23

+ + The same way you horny handed daughters of toil manage to find the time to post I imagine + +

What a strange turn of phrase, a wee bit classist as well

It's also commonly used in Private Eye, usually to mock well-paid, middle class union officials.

AdamRyan · 09/04/2024 16:07

Fair enough. I very rarely read PE.

IcakethereforeIam · 09/04/2024 17:37

Janie143 · 09/04/2024 00:09

Forgot pic

That bee needs a good stickering 😁

Waitwhat23 · 14/04/2024 01:03

Loads of Unite flags on the women hating side of Let Women Speak Cambridge too.

Maybe they were just passing by 🙄

AnotherAngryAcademic · 14/04/2024 12:07

Waitwhat23 · 14/04/2024 01:03

Loads of Unite flags on the women hating side of Let Women Speak Cambridge too.

Maybe they were just passing by 🙄

I saw NEU and UCU flags in pictures of the protest against LWS Cambridge as well...

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