Trade unions have a woman problem. Excellent article by union NEC member Paul Embery

[Tarquinthecat]

https://www.paulembery.com/p/trade-unions-have-a-woman-problem

Well said Paul! Let’s not forget how badly Kathleen Stock was treated by her UCU branch. The unions have spectacularly failed their female members.

Interesting article. Unions have been politically’captured’ and willing to thrown female members who have paid subs for years under the bus. They have earned their stonewall sticker.

I, for one, am no longer willing to pay for fancy union offices and a bloated union HQ when they have forgotten about their core members.

I don't think it's just women's issues.

At least around where I am (not UK), unions were totally worthless during covid too. They didn't seem to even consider that maybe they should protect workers from employers insisting on vaccination, quite the opposite, they seemed to try and help management enforce these kinds of rules and put those who wouldn't do it on leave. That's the example that comes most readily to mind because it seemed like such an obvious place where there was a role for unions to look out for workers and they totally didn't step up, but there have been a lot of other examples I've noticed in recent years too.

Hmmm. You know this potential intervention by the EHRC and Fife...

... Hmm how exactly does that square with Unison's position?

An interesting, useful analysis of why unions are throwing women under a bus, by someone in the know.

I have asked before on here if there is any union that actually supports women.
I found the RCN absolutely useless when I needed them. Luckily I got out of my situation by getting a better job and I am now retired.
I have a friend going through a horrible grievance process atm. Interestingly, the Women's Officer in her union is the only senior rep that has a full time job in the work place as well. The other senior reps, all men, don't. They get paid to be union reps. ( Local Government)

I’ve just stopped my UNISON membership. I hinted at why in my email and all I got was ‘we can’t all have the same views’ back from my rep who was happy to lose my fees.

Shamefully the RCN are completely trans captured and refused to support Sandie Peggie.

I understand that lots of women union members horrified at the embedded misogyny in the unions are heading for Affinity?

https://workaffinity.co.uk/

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/24628298.darlington-trans-nurses-set-new-union-amid-legal-action/

It looks like the Darlington nurses have set up or are setting up a new union - Darlington Nurses Union (DNU).

I can't find a direct link to it, but I guess it's early days.

Their new union, the Darlington Nurses Union (DNU), is believed to be the first of its kind taking a firm "gender critical" stance.

They have outlined their three founding principles:

1. Equality and respect for all workers regardless of their protected characteristics (including both gender reassignment and biological sex).

2. Securing and defending workers’ rights, dignity and decency at the workplace (including in particular access to safe single-sex areas for changing and hygiene, and protecting women from inappropriate exposure to members of the opposite biological sex).

3. The right to raise concerns about any genuine workplace issues without fear of retribution, and to have such concerns addressed promptly, constructively and reasonably.

There's also the Free Speech Union. They have successfully represented many gender critical women.

: "It’s about a policy change. I want it to focus on men who will use this, and abuse this policy.

"It’s not about an individual. It’s the policy that’s wrong.

"I don’t want it on my head. I don’t want to wake up one day and see that somebody’s accessed the changing room and somebody has been abused, violated, raped, whatever.

"I don’t want to be that person who goes ‘I could have done something"

www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/24628298.darlington-trans-nurses-set-new-union-amid-legal-action/

Edapt

https://www.edapt.org.uk

Is a good alternative to the captured (school) teaching unions.

Good article thanks for sharing @Tarquinthecat. Unions have had a problem with misogyny since forever, this is just the latest variant.

Darlington Nurses Union is on X and claims it has Sandie Peggie as a member.
This Daily Mail article (linked from a DNU X post) says that RCN has refused to represent Sandie). I hope that lots of nurses will join this new union and it will become a force to be reckoned with. Also that the RCN will be asked to account for its lack of support here.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14414931/Royal-College-Nursing-female-members-union-bosses-refused-help-nurse-misgendering-doctor.html

The Scottish TUC just attacked Sarwar for recognising reality. This is a huge problem.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5277296-in-quite-the-turnaround-scottish-labour-say-the-support-sandie-peggie-and-would-not-support-the-grr-bill-knowing-what-they-know-now?page=11

Another union lots of people are switching to is Affinity:;
https://workaffinity.co.uk/employers-must-respect-the-law-on-freedom-of-expression/

Someone or a group needs to sue a union for pretending women don't exist. The OU just LOST again with Almut case for the same nonsense. The Lib Dems are running scared over their sexism . You can't legally run a union which pretends sex isn't a thing.

Just come across this - written by the recently elected and first male leader ( Steve North) of a women's union ( UNISON)). Talks throughout about the discrimination and double standards women suffer from, but makes a priority of calling for trans rights - along with the old mantra like repetition of 'TWAW' ,'TMAM' and so on. Crazy stuff!

https://www.unison.org.uk/news/article/2025/02/unite-for-more-rights/

Steve North reminds me of the days when the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation had a 90% plus female membership, but strangely most of the leadership were male.

You're running a union. Taking discrimination cases to tribunal is a big part of your job. How the actual fuck are you going to do that if you don't recognise sex as a protected characteristic you absolute muppet.

Unions seem to be the absolute worst for having prescribed views. TWAW, Palestine good Israel bad, the push for Net Zero, etc etc. Anyone who disagrees is beyond the pale and not worth defending.

When you think about the origins of the trades union movement, it’s quite depressing that they seem to have formed their own immovable establishment.

It is.

But in this case, whilst they are allowed their opinions if they themselves are failing in their legal responsibilities in line with the law whilst floating about no one objecting to votes then at some point reality is going to clash with them.

Thanks for this. Most teachers are union members, IMHO, in case of pupil allegations and so want legal support. This looks like a great alternative. No political nonsense

Ah, but they think they’re right and everyone with a different view is an ignorant, thick, racist, gammon bigot. The view from that self-constructed moral high ground must be lovely for them, looking down on all the Hateful People

Good article. I agree with this:

Like so many other of our institutions, unions – most of them, at any rate – have been captured by the ideology of hyper-progressivism. Not ordinary rank-and-file trade unionists, many of whom are aghast at the turn of events, but the upper echelons of the movement, which are replete these days with graduates, Guardianistas, social radicals and policy wonks but far too light on ‘normies’ from traditional working-class backgrounds and with first-hand experience of life at the coalface or on the shop floor.

I was a member of the UCU (University and College Union) for around 20 years. I left for two reasons:

1. The way they put the boot in on Kathleen Stock and other crazy statements they made about gender ideology (google "UCU trans" to see a whole range of batshittery)
2. Pushing on with extreme forms of strike action (e.g. marking and assessment boycott) even when they had just reached a good agreement on pensions.

Unions are member led though. Therefore the campaigns come from motions put forward by members that have enough representatives voting for it because they have to vote for what their own members have told them they want.

If you are a member of a union, your voice and opinion is as important as another member's. You can talk to the elected (by members) Executive Team and ask them to take your opinion forward as a motion and, if enough members agree with you, it's carried.

If you feel your union doesn't represent your views then you need to step up and become active. Get involved with Union meetings, consider becoming a rep or an even an officer yourself if you feel really passionate. Make sure your own branch executives know what you want so they can take it forward for a democratic vote.

Change comes from people acting. Be the change you want to see.

Does not stop you ending up in court for breaking the law.

I'd rather find a union that aligns with my values and the actual law then waste my limited energy fighting men over what a woman is.

In the current climate that would not be welcome. There would be calls for our ‘re-education’.