UNISON’s women’s conference in Liverpool celebrated the power of working-class women’s collective strength - and trans inclusion

[IwantToRetire]

A key focus of Ms Egan’s speech was the union’s position on advocating for the union’s trans members in a hostile political climate.
“As a union we have always stood for equality – for women, for Black members, for disabled members, for LGBT+ members, for all who face discrimination.

“And I want to be absolutely clear: I stand proudly and unequivocally in defence of LGBT+ rights. And I am a proud trans ally. Equality is not negotiable. And discrimination in any form has no place in our union, in our workplaces or in society.

“Your conference last year, and our national delegate conference, reaffirmed our commitment to trans rights. And we needed that clarity, because the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of ‘sex’ in the Equality Act has had a profound impact on our trans, non‑binary, and gender‑diverse members.

“We cannot hide from it. We cannot pretend it doesn’t matter. But we can fight to change the law when it comes to legal gender recognition.
“Nobody should have their dignity taken away because of the sex they were deemed to be at birth. Too many countries have moved forward on gender recognition while the UK falls behind. That must change and UNISON can be at the front leading that change and making that change happen.

“Let me say this from the heart: there is no contradiction between the rights of one worker and another. The only contradiction is between workers and employers. And no stroke of a pen in Westminster will silence us or weaken our defence of the working class – a working class that is diverse, made up of people of all backgrounds, nationalities, and genders.

“Our UNISON branches turned out in force to support trans rights when the ruling was handed out with one clear message: when trans rights are under attack, we stand up and we fight back.

https://www.unison.org.uk/news/article/2026/02/when-working-class-women-organise-nothing-can-stop-us/

The speech itself is quite long, but I thought worth highlighting this bit.

On paper, a sensible and effective choice, in reality, it’s really not possible.
the trans train runs deep.

there are many members of staff and members of the union who wholeheartedly are against this, but have been told to be quiet.

I was told it would be difficult for me to keep my job if I made a noise about it,

Unions act on what their members tell them they want. Become the largest, loudest collective voice or withdraw funding, end your membership, remove your subscription fees and make sure you tell them why you left.

I think it was 2024, when Steve North the president of Unison, accused the Darlington nurses of "anti trans bigotry". The Royal College of Nursing also failed to support them.

https://christianconcern.com/ccpressreleases/royal-college-of-nursing-faces-backlash-for-refusing-to-act-in-christian-nurse-case-involving-transgender-paedophile/

https://christianconcern.com/news/j-k-rowling-slams-trade-union-president-after-he-accuses-darlington-nurses/

Feck them all . All the subs and time I paid into that lot for years . Bunch of chancers . Another handmaiden.

Well - i tell you what.

they pay my salary - my mortgage and keep my children fed. So it’s not quite as easy as that.

don’t for one second think there is not dotting happening under the radar. But basically - it’s shut down at all levels.

Exactly. I attempted to do this several times and had several handmaidens report me for twansphobia. Recently, I had a told a Unison branch secretary why I left his union and he reported me to my boss ! Said I had a hostile attitude !🤣 (My boss didn't care!🤣 Wasn't anything to do with my work practice) So much for solidarity eh? And the Branch Secretary is a manager of course .

So as long as you are ok then that's fine then? Listen we all have a mortgage/rent and family to raise etc but we don't all stay quiet to keep our jobs. You are in a privileged position in that you are saying you are employed by a trade union ? In that case, why are you not speaking out for women? You know those women that pay your wages ? I paid subs for years and I left because I was sickened by the complete lack of respect from Unison. I know of loads of women who feel the same. I know you are only one woman but you don't get a free pass cos you are scared to lose your job.

Yes, but most deeply engaged trade unionists tend also to be highly politically motivated activists. Those that go to conferences are motivated -by definition.

That is point though - the most vocal members who are heard are those who have been granted that voice by the union itself. Others are silenced.

Well - until you have walked a mile in my shoes - you don’t get to judge.

But we do get to judge.

What exactly are you judging??
that my employer takes a position from its members that I fundamentally do not agree with.
and I am told, it I actively try to disagree with it in public - I will lose my job?

I work tirelessly behind the scenes with members who believe the same as us. And I see how we/they are continually silenced.
and yet we keep going as far as we can, one member at a time, to overturn this ideology.

It’s not people like me you should be judging - it’s the 100’s of thousands of apathetic members who do absolutely nothing.

you are judging me?
what are you doing in your work place?

The judgement is based on ‘they pay my mortgage’. There may be very good reasons not to speak out more: because you feel it is better to make incremental progress than none at all; you are waiting for your moment; that you are making changes behind the scenes. If you give reasons like those then people would be grateful for your efforts. But your implication was that women are thrown under the bus and betrayed when they lose their jobs in order for you to pay your mortgage, which is the antithesis of the union movement.

Mind is blown. How is this legal? It's outrageous. 😡

I think this is reflected in the thread a while ago where women who have been TU members for years were asking and sharing information about which Union if any supported gender critical members.

@IwantToRetire good point above. Do you think we will ever get to a place where we can replace the somewhat derogatory term of gender critical with gender realist?

Oh I do get to judge . I am one of the many many female members who have been silenced by your union . My complaints silenced and called transphobic. Those claims backed up by handmaiden women union officials and paid women union employees. For what? Wanting privacy and dignity for women and girls? One day you will find you won't have anyone paying your membership.

Perhaps some of you paying members need to step forward then? If nothing changes, nothing changes. It requires more effort than complaining for sure but members hold the power in a democratic process. Use it.

Agreed to a degree. But what if people vote for what they believe and try to induce change but they are in the minority? Even being slightly in the minority means the majorities views are adopted, but it doesn't mean they haven't tried.
@2pence

I work for a branch of Unison so I’m safer than you for the time being as the branch sec and Convenors are in agreement with me. Is there any underground network or anything I can do to get involved or help or just someone else to rant to? I used to be proud to work for Unison but my god I’m not anymore.

This is really unfair. We’re up against the same issues as you. Expecting people to risk their jobs and livelihoods is unrealistic, we’re better off staying employed and trying to effect change from the inside as much as we can. It’s an absolutely awful position to be in having an employer actively working against your rights.

If you want to take that out of my comment. You go right ahead. I know exactly how much i have done for this movement, I know how much its cost me, financially and emotionally -
but losing my house over it, it’s not a line I can cross. I have children to house and feed too.

You go right ahead - you are not placing your job at risk.
You have no idea how I have tried to advocate for change from the inside.there is a large contingent of women and men - working unison - who are trying to fight the system - but also keep our jobs.

So did I - i also no longer feel proud. The tu movement has lost its way.

PM me if you would like to x

Thank you

What do you mean by ‘gender realist’? That we should be ‘realistic’ about the oppression of women that is gender?