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

Affinity Union.
Join them. They are apolitical and have a strong stance in supporting the free speech of members. I used to be a Unison member but would not consider joining them or any of the other ‘legacy’ unions. They’ve just shown themselves to never have left the misogynistic roots of the Union movement.

So I joined Affinity, which is workers Union, as well as the Free Speech Union.

Edapt won't improve your pay or conditions though, since they don't take part in industrial action. So you're still reliant on some people being part of the other unions to campaign on your behalf.

I totally agree. I've found some union members who think like me but it's all a bit hush hush. I don't mind speaking out usually but until recently I'd have worried about my job.

Well I don’t think the traditional unions have made much of a difference in recent years as they are too busy with politics.

Not sure you understand much about how women's rights are currently viewed by the unions to make that post.
Look at the behaviour of the RCN in refusing to represent Sandie Peggie in her claim for legal single sex spaces, the UCU in their treatment of Kathleen Stock and other academics. The toxicity of the Unison response in insisting that men must have the right to undress alongside women nurses.
Why on earth would women expose themselves in their workplace to those extreme levels of toxic masculinity and bullying.

Especially as there are finally a number of options to the anti women, trans captured unions.

To be honest that all sounds very blithe.....

Most people haven't got the time in their busy lives to devote to trade union activism. They pay their subscription for representation and support when it is required. Trade unions have always been political and tribal...but now they've virtually all ( even including the ones for middle class occupations) become virtual closed shops in which rigid party lines are imposed on the membership.

Those who do get involved in trade union activism tend to use it as basis for a political career, and are always the ones agitating in the staff room or on the shop floor.

You think the union reps in every workplace are planning on a political career...? 😃

Most people go into teaching knowing full well it is not a highly paid career, and they see the long holidays and decent pension scheme as the real benefits.
And most teachers are not interested in strike action or in working to rule. They take their professional duties seriously and don't want to let the children down.

I'm no longer teaching but when i was the NUT ( now NEU) were continually agitating and instructing teachers " don't do this", "don't do that".....and even when pay had been improved they'd continue to agitate on other fronts.

Admirable as that sentiment is, it’s not borne out in reality. Just look at UCU who wanted to “root out” gender critical staff at universities. Who the hell wants to put themselves in a union’s virtue signalling crosshairs?

Yes, that's right! Many who become involved in trade union activism end up pursuing that more than they do their primary role or occupation. They become political actors rather than teachers, for example. Always agitating.

The trade union movement is a life time commitment for many...which is why they hold big annual jamborees as with political parties. You'll find many Labour party councillors or MPs used to be trade union reps or activists.

Change doesn't come from doing nothing. All unions are guided by what their members want. It's the members who speak up who drive the campaigns.

If the unions you mention don't serve your needs then you need to tell them what you want so they can.

I suppose leaving for a Union that is already acting on behalf of people who have expressed similar views to your own is a valid option where available. Otherwise, you could become an activist and bring that change to your current union if there's no alternative.

However, doing nothing will get you exactly that, nothing.

Both of those are exactly why I’ve never joined them. I fundamentally disagree with their stance on strikes and their stance on women’s rights so they’re not getting a damned penny from me.

If the unions you mention don't serve your needs then you need to tell them what you want so they can.

They don’t give one shiny shit that anyone would leave or not join on the basis of gender critical views. They don’t want us.

It’s nice to think that there would be member-led change but we all know that those at the top would stop that happening.

That is just naive. Are you aware of how many women have been abandoned and even disciplined/ejected from their union for wrong think in recent years?

What do you mean by 'change' anyway? What is it you think that people want from their union?

When I was active in my former union, we had a branch with a paper membership of 600 but less than 10 people turned up to meetings. I got on the branch committee because nobody else was interested.

You may think that makes it easier to have your voice heard. Not so, if you're one of eight people in the room and the other seven are hardened politicos with a fixed position that's opposite to yours.

It would have been easier if there had been some normies in the room, but the normies were too busy doing their jobs.

God loves a trier @2pence

but if I was going to campaign within a teaching union for more protection on women’s right to single sex spaces, so not sharing with anyone still in possession of a penis, I would be expelled, re-educated and called all sorts of things. We have seen healthcare and education unions in action on these matters and that why we need alternatives.

campaigning from within is just going to cause us/me grief

Well, that’s a consideration, and I’m now out of secondary teaching. But I didn’t rate my union highly then, and if it were now, I’d make the move.

My father was a trade union shop steward in the 1970s. He saw his role as a mediator between the men on the factory floor and the management.....but there were plenty of other shop stewards who were far more angry and intent on revolution. It would be they who demanded strikes and who would intimidate other men into going out on strike.

Those around during the 1970s will remember the continual strikes and work to rule that crippled everything from public transport, rubbish collection, the digging of graves, the baking of bread. My father's company eventually gave up and moved their production to Spain instead, leaving lots of men long term unemployed in an area with few skilled engineering jobs, or having to re-locate ( as my family did) to other parts of the country.

Sorry but that's ridiculous. Almost every primary and secondary school will have at least one, if not more, union reps. They are not seeking political careers! They are trying to support the rights of people in their workplace. This may be seen as "agitating" by some.

Are you speaking from experience of union reps in the school classroom - because I am? When I say 'career' I mean an occupation which becomes a primary commitment; and when that is trade union activism, then, yes, it becomes their 'career', and quite a few end up seeking election either as councillors or MPs or with F/T paid, union roles.

And yes continual agitation and politicking is what many do.

@Daffiesmeanspring each school does not have a union rep within it. I know because I am in one of those schools. No one wants the grief of dealing with the union directly. If anyone needs support they get a rep from another school but I am going to link Edapt on our WhatsApp group as an alternative

I had an email from my union RCN this week (I am a retired member) asking me for my ideas for Pride and LGBTQ+ activities. Why is a nursing union wasting time and money on this? I have been a member for about 30 years. Never had this asked before.
A quick google of the sender’s name name showed their LinkedIn profile. 5 years of nursing but all they list as their accomplishments and focus in the job are entirely lgbtq related and then they were off to do a masters in gender, sexuality and culture before back to a desk job to push their own agenda.
My reply said that I would like to see pride return to representing ordinary people who happened to be same sex attracted rather than the fetish shitshow it has become, I want RCN to represent all it’s members not just those who believe in gender ideology, and nurses to be able to change their clothes at work without a male present.
Having read up on this person’s cv I rather think my response will be deleted as wrong think.

I worked in my early career in a large school with reps for three different unions.

Mine was dedicated to supporting members, though the union was only moderately effective.
Another was ineffective but well meaning.
The third was definitely springboarding.

(My union and the third later combined, much to my surprise, as they started from very different principles.)

Which I think is a perfect example for anyone wondering why the things that are important to them are not put forward as campaigns.

If it's important then get busy. The only reason the things you disagree with are represented is because someone felt passionately enough about them to ask their Union to create a motion.

The only reason those executives are there is because an engaged member nominated them and then the membership that actually cared enough to turn up voted them in. Of the 600 strong membership, 10 turned up at the AGM, so 10 voted and therein lies the answer to why doesn't my Union represent my views?

If it really matters then why not start a movement? And if you don't have the drive to start a movement, at least start a conversation with your elected officials who are there to represent your interests.

Or do nothing. Choice is yours.