Unison elections - female only seats are not so

[FrodoTheBlueWhippet]

Disappointed to receive ballot papers from Unison today for their upcoming elections.

Why is it acceptable to have men standing in the Disabled Members' Seats Female Seat??

I was (amidst the rage) quite amused at the "statement cut at word limit" - why do they always BLETHER so much? It's like the TIMs who come on here to tell us how evil we are - they all need to learn to edit.

I've noticed a few candidates have included a line about not "raising issues for factional reasons" and I'm somewhat intrigued by what exactly that means. Could go either way, really. There is also someone (not Ellie) proudly talking about having "spearheaded the Trans Ally Training" which apparently resulted in an "almost 300% increase in union activists who are part of the trans community ". No, thank you.

This has made the Telegraph today.

A Unison member should contact the Certification Officer:
Complain to the Certification Officer about a trade union or an employers’ association - GOV.UK

I know it's only been a couple of weeks, but in parallel with the EHRC developing its guidance, the CO should really be on the case when it comes to unions.

There is one thing I really don't understand. If these organisations wanted to support transgender people, why don't they? Why don't they have a Transgender Officer, alongside the Women's and Disability Officers? No one would oppose that. There would never be any conflict or if there was, it could be clearly explained and discussed.

You can mix Protected Characteristics but I don't think I've often seen "Race and Disability Officer" etc as it cheapens each issue.

Why don't Unsion just create a Transgender Officer seat?

You can't do that, that would be 'segregation'.

But then so is a Women's Officer!!!

I hope this starts to happen because I imagine there are important and distinct issues facing trans people that would be better addressed seperately. You would also be able to balance rights more fairly - look at the restrictions around demanding disabled access facilities!

I got my candidates’ election addresses today and there were only two. Both pushing transgender rights at the forefront of their campaign along with other lefty woke shit. I’m leaving this union.

The EHRC advice is not out and the previous pro-trans advice still stands. Also the revised advice has now been revised at the insistence of Philipson (I know this because my MP wrote to tell me so since I had asked why the new advice has not been put to Parliament).
If the seats are for women then Unison is breaking the law allowing a man to stand.

In our area we have a choice between someone who specifically says they are a trans ally and someone who campaigns for palestine, so anti Jewish. I've ripped my ballot paper up and feel I must leave unison as they don't represent me

I have heard positive things about Affinity Union. I'm not a member but I understand they identify as a professional union and not student activists?

They say:
"Affinity has no political viewpoint; we’re entirely apolitical and are concerned only with the need to defend all our members’ rights under the law, irrespective of ethnicity, religious belief or colour and irrespective of which side of political debates their views might fall. Our commitment to political and ideological neutrality will not change".

https://workaffinity.co.uk/freedom-of-speech-its-all-or-nothing/

We must be in the same area. What a choice…

Does the union have to pay the postage of any returned ballots? If so I would spoil my ballot with an appropriate comment and post it back to them and then leave the union.

I'm with Affinity. I've needed their help twice and they were great both times.