Advancing Gender Equality: The Role of Women‐Only Trade Union Education

Abstract

The need to improve the level of membership and the number of women activists has been a central feature of overall`renewal' strategies of many British trade unions. Within this, equality education has been a key part of policy-making. This research draws on detailed case studies of two trade unions and focuses on their women-only education courses. We suggest that a greater understanding of the contribution of different types of trade union education to the advance of equality is a key factor in the ability of unions to maintain a central role at workplace level, within the context of an increasingly diverse labour market.

The dynamics of positive action in UK trade unions: the case of women and black members

“…In practice, this is not always the case. Education is an example of a key positive action measure, particularly, women-only and black member-only courses (Greene and Kirton, 2002). On such courses, tutors and officials encourage all women to come forward and seek advice about how to move through the union and increase their activism.…”

Shaping Union and Gender Identities: A Case Study of Women‐Only Trade Union Courses

“…Trade union education is a significant area of trade union activity, but one that is under-researched. (Recent exceptions include Bridgford and Stirling 2000;Greene and Kirton 2002;Holford 1993;Munro and Rainbird 2000a, b.) Bridgford and Stirling suggest that trade union education is a 'key resource for the construction of trade unionism ' (2000: 5), while Holford sees union education as a 'vital catalyst as the movement tries to come to terms with new realities ' (1993: 12).…”

“…Women-only courses are now provided by the TUC, the ten largest TUC affiliated unions and many smaller unions. It has been argued that the women-only environment delivers specific benefits for the education of trade union women (Greene and Kirton 2002;Munro and Rainbird 2000b), primarily because it builds gender consciousness, promotes women's participation and prepares women to take on leadership roles.…”

The Impact of Trade Union Education: a Study in Three Countries in Eastern Europe

“…Here, women are heavily involved in mainstream, fundamental union change rather than arguing for 'mainstreaming' of gender issues as a means of achieving change. Women tutors have actively developed women-only courses, argued to be of fundamental importance to western unions (Greene and Kirton, 2002), but have also been more widely educationally innovative, for example, in developing youth courses. Gender issues may also be involved in the emergence of the Moldovan breakaway union Lucas, when women tutors broke with a male general secretary.…”