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

[IwantToRetire]

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

Who were present during the vote, could we ask for a FOI? We must start to challenge these decisions. What does this say to the current and next generation of women. Be a bloke, trans and you are respected. Jog on

The motion was proposed by the Camden branch of Unison. Branch secretary Liz Wheatley told Socialist Worker, “There was no one who wanted to speak against the motion. And only one vote against it out of hundreds of delegates.

“We voted to send this motion to the women’s conference because we think that trans rights are such an important issue.

“This is the sharp end of right wing politics and campaigners who are trying to attack all our rights.

“They want to turn back the clock to a time before civil rights, women’s liberation, before the Stonewall riots. They want to pit us against each other. LGBT+ people and women all need more rights, and we need to stand together and fight together for our rights.

“Our branch submitted the motion, but there were delegates from branches all over the country who were ready to speak in support of the motion.”

She added, “We were a bit startled to be attacked in The Telegraph. But it is not that surprising. Lots of right-wing newspapers are joining in the attacks on diversity and equality.

“And whatever The Telegraph thinks, we are very proud we proposed this motion and that it was passed.”

https://socialistworker.co.uk/news/trade-union-womens-conference-is-united-on-trans-rights/

I wonder who that one brave no voter was.

I say in another report that there was a small demo against the motion outside the conferenc.e

This is why I left my union. Unison is the other big union at my place of work - so that alternative is closed off now.

Maybe all women should leave UNISON and set up their own union. Leave the boys and their handmaidens to it.

The heroes outside:

https://x.com/LWDScotland/status/1890148906476151007

"LWD Scotland and WRN Glasgow engaging delegates at the Unison conference"

The leaflets they were handing out:
https://x.com/DalgetySusan/status/1890116065604304975

The fightback against sexism in the trade union movement is going to be tough. Sadly a lot of the people behind this issue lets face it are captured left wing women.

I am thinking only legal cases will work to stop this. Question is which Unison member wants to be a Maya or Sandie Peggie.

Sharp end of right wing politics? Speak up against the motion and you're accused of being right wing? Seems a shame that this is the most important issue at a Women's conference Liz Wheatley.

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

They also opposed Family Allowances, which were to be paid to the mother.

Failings in the past don't excuse the present. These days unions talk a lot about supporting women, but they need to be shown that their actions have to match the rhetoric. The fact that women like Sandie Peggie can't get the support that they should have been able to rely on from the trade union movement is a disgrace.

Steve had a great time at the Women's Conference.

https://x.com/UNISONSteve/status/1890792730831274005

'Loved my time at UNISON Women’s Conference. UNISON is their union. I’m just a guest. But I’m trying to be a guest who listens and shows solidarity. The women of UNISON face oppression like all women. But they aren’t victims. They’re fighting back and they’re winning! '

who the hell do I join if not unison? My hospital doesn’t even unison reps on site anymore no other union representatives that I’m aware of. I’m not nursing (nhs admin role) but have used unison in the past for minor stuff, in an nhs scotland trust famed for bullying and corruption and could only eclipse nhs fife in its current incompetence. But I will be cancelling my direct debit over this. Suppose I could just but the £14 towards my employment lawyer fund for when the time comes…

I wonder who that one brave no voter was.

Yes. They deserve a medal. It reminds me of that famous photo where everyone is giving the Hitler salute apart from one guy.

Affinity. It's about £9 a month and I joined partly because I worked for a bloody awful company who I didn't trust not to try to shaft me and some point and partly because I'm GC and wanted the back up of a union if it all went to shit at work wherever I worked (I've changed jobs now).

I know two women who left unison in recent years over this subject. I'm not a member but would like to protest. Is there a way to petition somehow?

I was going to mention this relatively new union which has been representing women who work for Solace Women's Aid.

But then I came across the article on their web site that states why suing Survivors Network "who have been targeted under equalities law for their trans-inclusive approach". ie their idea of equalities doesn't include women!

https://www.uvwunion.org.uk/en/news/2022/05/statement-in-support-of-survivors-network/

Sorry dont want to derail this thread, but not sure it deserves a thread on its own. Might post of Sarah's latest thread.

So even new unions, with a majority of low paid women workers is well and truely captured.

I also left unison recently. My rep was useless anyway, and all this nonsense was the final nail in the coffin for me.

Unison are not getting away with this garbage. People are noticing.

JKR on the motion is up to her usual standard.

"When you make people too terrified to speak against the motion, you do tend to end up with unanimous agreement. Congratulations on the win, Comrade Stalin."

Gender identity theory is largely a middle-class pursuit, says Susan Dalgety - The Scotsman

In an ironic twist of fate, the UK’s largest union Unison held its national women’s conference in Edinburgh this week, and the first motion to be debated called for the Labour government to introduce self-ID, the process where someone can change their legal sex by filling in a form. “Trans women are women,” read the motion which also criticised women who campaign for female-only spaces as “reactionary”.

Unison’s robustly male president Steve North (pronouns he/him) crowed on social media that not one delegate had spoken against the motion but, as is often the case with carefully stage-managed political conferences, the reality was rather different to that described by President North. Women who were prepared to debate the issue were so intimidated by the hostile atmosphere that they left the meeting, unable to face being called bigots by the very noisy supporters of the motion.
As one delegate said: “The atmosphere was so toxic that even abstaining would have been noticed. Many of the delegates are working-class women in frontline public service jobs. Their fear of dissension reveals their very real fear of losing the protection of their union.
“When Steve North brags about the lack of dissent, does he not realise how important our union is to us and why seeing what has happened to Sandie Peggie makes women frightened to risk the real-life consequences of dissent.”

It is not surprising that middle-class professionals, whether doctors, HR managers or even politicians, have found comfort in the simplistic politics of identity. How much easier it is to pin a trans ally badge on a set of scrubs or business suit than begin to tackle the centuries’ old structural issues that trap millions of women in low-paid jobs, poor housing and ill-health, often at risk of sexual violence and abuse.
There is much about the gender debate that has left women aghast in recent years, from placing male rapists in female prisons to the scandal of the NHS mutilating young women’s bodies in the name of progress.
But surely one of the greatest betrayals is a trade union whose membership is three-quarters female, ignoring the material reality of women’s lives in favour of a fanciful theory that sex can be cast off as easily as last season’s fashions.

https://archive.is/Teatb

Just had a look at Affinity and as well as some of the more usual union benefits they offer additional support for members who are also caring for someone with dementia. What a great idea, will definitely be joining.

So they support the perpetrators as well as the victims? Or are they unaware that 98% of violence against women is carried out by men, and it really doesn't matter if the man happens to wear a frock?

Some of my friends were there. It would have been bigger if so many of us hadn’t been at work

Not all are cf Communist Party - definitely left surely? Also large numbers of Labour members are gender critical.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.