From membership to leadership: advancing

women in trade unions

Cinzia Sechi, advisor, ETUCcsechi@etuc.org

Representing European workers

Established 1973

90 member organisations in 37 countries

10 European Trade Union FederationsEurocadres (professional & managerial staff)

FERPA (retired & older people)

60 million workers ( + 44% women)

What is the ETUC?

ETUC action on professional equality

1. Support and shape European equality policies

2. Negotiate and cooperate with employers’ organisations

3. Cooperate with NGOs

4. Within the organisation: equality plans

4 levels

ETUC policies and objectives vis-à-vis its members….◦ 2007 Charter on Gender Mainstreaming◦ 8 March Survey (conducted annually since 2007)◦ 2010: ETUC Project “From membership to leadership”◦ 2011 Resolution: “Recommendation to improve gender balance in trade

unions”◦ 2012 -2015 gender equality action plan◦ Paris Congress Resolution on Gender balance in ETUC

…in the context of European social dialogue…◦ Framework of Actions on Gender Equality signed by ETUC,

BUSINESSEUROPE, UEAPME and CEEP in 2005

…and of EU priorities◦ European strategy for equality between women and men (2010-2015)

Gender balance in decision-making: the ETUC’s commitment

Gender balance in decision-making ….

Strengthens trade union democracy

Offers a more holistic approach

Helps to meet economic, social and political objectives

Improves the external image of trade unions

Promotes changes in union culture

Provides models for women and potential female members

Has a positive impact on recruitment and organisation

Why place gender balance at the heart of trade union policies

and structures?

Women are crucial to maintaining trade union membership levels. Around 45% of ETUC members are women.

General trend of a growing number of women in the membership of trade unions, despite a reduction in trade union membership overall.

Trade unions in northern and Baltic countries have the highest numbers of female members.

The lowest rates of female membership (< 25%) were recorded in Turkey, Malta and Switzerland.

Most countries in continental Europe have female membership rates of between 40% and 50% (France, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, etc.)

* Carried out since 2007 on 90 ETUC national member confederations

Trends identified by the ETUC’s 8 March Survey

(Female) membership

Generally speaking, very low level of women in trade union leadership positions (President, Vice-President, General Secretary, Deputy General Secretary).

Women are more likely to be in ‘deputy’ positions. There remains a certain degree of segmentation in terms of the

policy issues handled by male and female trade union officers.

Most trade unions have adopted concrete measures to improve gender balance, including in some cases quotas and reserved seats, although in practice many unions have not implemented policies fully.

Within the ETUC: gender balance is also lagging behind in permanent committees.

Trends identified by the ETUC’s 8 March Survey

Decision-making

The ETUC project

Main aims:◦ Raise awareness about the value added that women can bring to

decision-making◦ Provide practical tools and guidelines, including examples of

approaches by different trade unions◦ Help the ETUC, European industry federations and national

confederations to devise proactive strategies

Tools developed:◦ Two discussion seminars◦ A resources guide◦ An awareness-raising leaflet◦ A policy resolution adopted by the ETUC Executive Committee on 8

March 2011◦ http://www.etuc.org/r/1447

“From membership to leadership”project

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ETUC ACTION PROGRAMME ON GENDER EQUALITY (2012 – 2015)*

OBJECTIVES

1. Implementing gender mainstreaming into all ETUC policies

2. Achieving equal pay between women and men 3. Eliminating gender representation gap in

decision making bodies 4. Promoting the combination of work, family and

private life 5. Addressing the link between domestic violence

and workplace rights

* Adopted by the Executive Committee

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3. Eliminating gender representation gap in decision making bodies

KEY ACTIONS

Achievement of gender balance in decision-making level bodies of

ETUC affiliated organisations

Specific recommendations to the EC to enhance women’s presence

in company boards

8th March survey

A template for gender disaggregated data collection

A study to improve gender equality in trade unions

Nomination according to gender parity for the affiliates’

representatives in ETUC standing bodies

ETUC Congress Resolution (Paris 2015)

Ten things trade unions can do to promote gender

balance in union leadership and decision-making roles

1. Make the argument for gender balance as a core union priority.

2. Actively promote gender equality at all levels of the organisation through gender mainstreaming.

3. Introduce statutory rule changes on gender balance.

4. Prepare women for decision-making and leadership roles.

5. Engage men to build a consensus for balanced gender representation.

10 things to do

6. Address the image and culture of unions.

7. Build union organisation so that women’s activism and involvement in decision-making roles exists at all levels of the union.

8. Ensure that trade union organisations promote gender diversity through their own internal human resources.

9. Provide gender disaggregated data.

10.Take a strategic approach and develop concrete action plans to improve gender balance, including measures to monitor and assess the outcomes and implementation of actions.

10 things to do

Thank you!

Your questions/comments are welcome