When Trade Unions Boycott Women, Who Are They Representing?

[IwantToRetire]

Trade unions regularly expect employers to respect court judgments, employment legislation, and equality law. They support members taking employers to tribunals and courts when those rights are not respected. Yet there remains a fundamental issue regarding equal representation by UNISON, ASLEF, USDAW, and the Musicians’ Union.

There will be many sensible women within UNISON and the other three Trade Unions who believe that women should be entitled to meet together to discuss issues specifically affecting women. Who is representing those women? These women should be able to rely upon their Trade Union to properly represent them in the workplace.

A women-only conference should not be controversial in the modern world. These Trade Unions shouldn’t disregard the common-sense views of the women who attend or disregard their views by boycotting the event.

The WEU Approach to Equal Treatment

The Workers of England Union has a clear stance: we are happy to support women-only events. We equally support men-only events to discuss issues particularly affecting men. We also support joint sessions where everyone can discuss the issues affecting workers collectively.

That is proper equal treatment. Recognising differences does not mean treating somebody unfairly.

Full article at https://www.workersofengland.co.uk/news/when-trade-unions-boycott-women-who-are-they-representing

Just to add I dont know anything about this union, but do remember on other threads queries about whether there were any unions supporting women's sex based rights.

I have a fundamental issue with any organisation that doesn't organise, just services, calling themselves a trade union. To me, that's not trade unionism, it's a legal advice membership club... That's not to say they haven't got a point. But their model is half the problem.

Imo, this whole mess has got as far as it has because unions have been (purposefully) pushing this exact BS servicing model over on the ground collective organising that sought to empower members in their own workplaces, and give them more equal say in direct action and wider TU activity as stakeholders.

Pushing the ideology, political desires and machinations of paid union management has far outweighed the the needs, rights and best outcomes for its members for years. There's no real collectivism, no bringing workers together over issues, no real peer representation...And as a result, this power imbalance, (favouring internal management decision making behind closed doors on 'behalf' of members, over organising workplaces to drive wider member led engagement) has become so ingrained and institutionalised in most of our TUs, that any dissent from the 'one true union voice' leads to members (and any staff who dare push back) being silenced, sidelined, targeted, bullied, or worse.

As far as I'm concerned, we don't have a trade union movement any more. We have worker financed lobbyist sweethearts, who are more than happy to tell their members to pipe down and just be grateful for the paltry bone they throw every now and then.

Bumping because people are playing silly buggers again

You're doing a sterling job of bumping these important threads, Eresh!

If the unions that women have paid into refuse to represent or help women members, they should repay women members every penny of their subs to date. They have misrepresented their services, and collected subs under false pretences.