Gender asymmetries in Portuguese trade unions: The case of the CGTP-IN

Abstract

Gender imbalances persist throughout the world, particularly at leadership level, and equally also visible in the case of trade unions. This article focuses on CGTP-IN, the largest Portuguese trade union confederation, and sets out analysis incorporating both figures from this organisation and accounts by female members of CGTP-IN unions. Results confirm the existence of gender asymmetries, especially at the highest leadership levels. Analysis of the discourses of these women leaders reveals some awareness of the influence of gender on professional relations, placing women at a disadvantage, especially where leadership is concerned. Furthermore, four reasons driving the persistence of these gender asymmetries in trade union leadership/decision-making roles were identified: family responsibilities, gendered professional segregation, masculine trade union cultures and traditional gender stereotypes. Nevertheless, the interviewees resist to means of affirmative action such as gender quotas, and instead prefer to prioritise education and raising awareness around gender equality.

Beyond density: Improving European trade unions’ representativeness through gender quotas

“…Although in some developed countries women constitute around half of unions’ members, they remain consistently under-represented in unions’ leadership and decision-making structures worldwide (Cobble, 2013; Cockburn, 1996; Cooper, 2012; Dean and Perrett, 2020; Kirton, 2015; Kirton and Healy, 2013; Santos et al, 2022). Furthermore, the share of the leadership positions held by women does not increase proportionally to their share of membership (Gavin et al, 2020; Kirton, 2015).…”

“…Various gender equality strategies, including gender quotas, have often been advocated by activists and academics internationally as important for increasing women’s participation in unions’ structures (Kirton, 2018). However, resistance to such strategies is rather common among trade unions’ members and leaders (Kirton, 2015; Santos et al, 2022). Therefore, gender quotas are rather uncommon and constitute a relatively recent phenomenon in trade unions, in contrast to political parties, particularly in Europe (Dahlerup et al, 2013: 25–27).…”