The social construction of women's trade union participation : the role of women-only courses in MSF and TGWU

Women have struggled for more than a century for equality within trade unions and various forms of separate organising have played a central role in achieving incremental gendered transformation of internal structures and hierarchies. Despite huge advances, the goal of gender equality or democracy has not been fully realised in 2003; hence women's separate organising remains an important strategic vehicle through which union women are able to access the necessary power resources to continue their struggle. This thesis provides an original, in-depth exploration of the impact and influence on union women of one form of separate organising, namely women-only courses, in two large, male-dominated trade unions. It contributes to the growing body of feminist industrial relations literature concerned with women's under-representation in union structures. The thesis establishes the link between a significant, but under-researched area of union activity - union education - with the debates surrounding gender democracy, by showing the enormous impact women-only courses have on participants, their gender and union identities and their union careers. With its primary focus on a group of union women, rather than on a union structure, the study also produces important methodological insights for industrial relations research. By taking a qualitative, multi-method, case study approach within a feminist paradigm, the thesis investigates the women's routes to participation and involvement, their perceptions and experiences of women-only courses and the unfolding of their union careers over time. In so doing it engages with contemporary debates surrounding women's lesser participation in the structures and processes of union democracy, the gendered barriers to union involvement, the role and utility of women's separate organising. Importantly, it also offers insights into the myriad ways in which women use their personal agency to surmount such barriers and navigate a union career

Women and Union Leadership in the UK and USA: First Findings From a Cross-National Research Project

This is a report prepared for Cornell Conference on Women and Union Leadership held at Cornell University, New York City on May 8th 2010 and for Queen Mary/SERTUC Workshop on Women and Union Leadership held at Congress House, London on 11th September 2010. The project was funded by the Leverhulme Trust. [Excerpt] This report offers the first findings of a unique comparative research project on women in union leadership in the UK and the USA. It is the first study that seeks to systematically investigate the experiences of women in union leadership in two countries using the same research methodologies and carried out by an American/British research team

Trade Union Perspectives on Diversity Management: A Comparison of the UK and Denmark

This article compares the viewpoints of trade union activists in the UK and Denmark on diversity management. While this concept is spreading rapidly across Europe, very different attitudes are revealed among equality activists and officials in the two countries. The article distinguishes between understandings of diversity management as a descriptor, theoretical approach, and policy approach. The main differences between the countries emerge with regard to diversity management as a policy approach, which is regarded with great scepticism in the UK and with great enthusiasm in Denmark. Explanations for these differences are offered, involving prior experiences of anti-discrimination activities, industrial relations approaches, and the wider political context

We Are the Same, but Different: A Duoethnography of People of Colour Who Are Care Leavers

In this article, we use autoethnography to explore autobiographical narratives of being both people of colour and care leavers. The conversations were recorded (audio and transcription) and themes include identity, common emotional responses, perspectives, the challenges of being Asian and Black and in care, identifying as a care leaver in adulthood, race and racism. This article will explore the themes in detail while considering the differences in context of the lived experiences of the two authors, with one having been adopted by a white, British family and being of dual ethnicity, while the other being of South Asian ethnicity and having experienced foster care, including short-term foster placements. This article will explore not only experiences of childhood, but also of those faced in adulthood related to the two identifiers discussed. Although there will be some discussion on the outward, including society’s response, challenges and outcomes, in particular regarding children in care and race, there will be a focus on the inward, the emotional and intellectual understanding of these issues

Racism, anti-racist practice and social work: articulating the teaching and learning experiences of Black social workers

In the mid 1990s a Black practice teacher programme was established in Manchester and Merseyside with the primary aim to increase the number of Black practice teachers in social work organisations, and in turn provide a supportive and encouraging learning environment for Black student social workers whilst on placement. In the north‐west of England research has been undertaken, to establish the quality of the practice teaching and student learning taking place with Black practice teachers and students. This paper is an exploration of the ideas generated within the placement process that particularly focused on the discourse of racism and ant‐racist practice. Black students and practice teachers explain their understanding of racism and anti‐racist practice within social work. From the research, the paper will critique some of the ideas concerning anti‐racism. In particular, it will question whether anti‐racist social work practice needs to be re‐evaluated in the light of a context with new migrants, asylum seekers and refugees. It will concluded, by arguing that whilst the terms anti‐racism, Black and Minority Ethnic have resonance as a form of political strategic essentialism, it is important to develop more positive representations in the future

Post-Heroic Leadership, Tempered Radicalism and Senior Leaders as Change Agents for Gender Equality

Micro change agents for gender equality in organisations are often considered to be tempered radicals who work within an existing structure to change the status quo. However for gender equality to happen, it is often claimed that heroic leadership of top leaders, or macro change agents, is required. The aim of this article is to show how CEOs as macro change agents for gender equality can be conceptualised. Drawing on interviews with 20 global CEOs and a literature review, the article develops a framework to conceptualise how CEOs are fostering gender equality around accountability, building ownership, communicating, leading by example, initiating and driving culture change. The article questions the conceptualisation of change agents of gender equality as either tempered radicals, for micro change agents, or heroic leaders, for macro change agents, and argues instead that to be macro change agents for gender equality, CEOs need to display post‐heroic leadership and tempered radicalism to foster change in regard to gender relations