W@W Topic of the Month

April 2008

Women & Trade Unions

Women have a proud history in the trade union movement.  Some of the issues that are happening today, were spoken about many years ago.  For example, equal pay -  the secretary of the League, Clementina Black, moved the first successful equal pay resolution at the 1888 Trades Union Congress (TUC).   Lya Sorana quotes – “When we talk about equal pay for equal work, women in the workplace are beginning to catch up. If we keep going at this current rate, we will achieve full equality in about 475 years. I don't know about you, but I can't wait that long.”

WOMEN’S TRADE UNION HISTORY

Although the number of women in trade unions had increased by 1914, 90% of all trade unionists were men and over 90% of women workers remained unorganised. Of the 10% of organised women, almost half were members of unions in the textile industry (the only industry in which they had maintained continuous organisation), and a high proportion of the remainder were members of teaching, clerical and shop workers unions . 

Although the periods of growth in women's trade union membership usually coincided with overall union expansion, the unions themselves cannot claim the sole credit for organising women workers. As in the previous period, that task fell to women themselves. The Women's Trade Union League (formerly the Women's Protective and Provident League founded in 1874) became more militant and abandoned some of the policies of its predecessors. The League supported strikes and encouraged women to join existing trade unions. It reversed the WPPL policy of opposing protective legislation for women and instead campaigned for its extension. The League became an unofficial Women's TUC and was dissolved in 1921 when the TUC agreed to take on its functions by forming the Women Workers' Group.

In membership terms, the two most important women's organisations were the Co-operative Women's Guild formed in 1883 (by 1931 it had 67,000 members organised in 1,400 branches) and the National Federation of Women Workers, founded in 1906.

MAKING WOMEN’S VOICES HEARD TODAY THOUGH THE TRADE UNION  MOVEMENT

Many women become active in their community through trade unions.  Not only do trade unions assist people in work, they also have wider role in the community and are involved in such issues as international matters.  Trade unions have modernised and are mindful of proportionality and fair representation in their membership.  For example, if a UNISON Branch is three quarters female, and a quarter male membership, if there is a delegation  to a conference, 3 people going have to be female, and one male.

Contributed by Liz MacKay, W@W Advisory Board member