(Sources: Report on Trade Union Density (Millennium Review, Rita Higgs, ICFTU 2001); Resource Kit, “The Role of Trade Unions in Promoting Gender Equality”, ILO-GENPROM, 2002)

We are more than 60 million-strong today

The level of information available, both within and beyond the ICFTU, on trade union membership is generally inadequate. Particular problems are encountered when we try to look at the gender composition of trade union membership. Only 40% of ICFTU affiliates disclosed data on the gender composition of their membership in 2001, despite the best efforts of the Secretariat and the Women’s Committee to encourage affiliated organisations to monitor and provide such statistics.

The average ratio of female membership in those affiliates providing the relevant data is close to 40%. And since those particular affiliates account for more than half of the total ICFTU membership, we can apply the 40% figure to its global membership of 157 million. This enables us to calculate that there were 63 million women members in ICFTU affiliated unions in 2001.

Thanks to women, unions are growing

Figures from ACTU in Australia show that more women than men are joining unions there, the number of female union members increased by 31,800 in 2000 while the number of male union members fell by 8,700. Reporting on US union membership for 2001, the AFL-CIO stated that more women workers than ever before are forming and joining unions, with the number of female union members reaching an all-time high of 6.8 million – an increase of 93,000 from 2000. And the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) won the largest US union election in history when it organised 75,000 home health care workers in Los Angeles. The proportion of UK women workers who were union members increased for the first time in 2000/01 when as many as 100,000 part-time women workers joined various unions.

A recent study of trade union membership in European countries, carried out by Jelle Visser for the ILO in September 2000, found that: “...since the early 1980s...all of the trade union membership growth has come from women and never before have so many women joined trade unions....While in many countries there is still a considerable gap between male and female unionisation rates, differences are narrowing partly on account of the rising propensity of women to join unions, especially when they work in the public or subsidised sector.”

This finding is reflected particularly clearly in Swedish trade union membership data where the number of members of the LO has increased from 1.6 million to 2.1 million since 1968. The entire net increase has been women.

What do women get from unions?

Evidence that union workplaces are much more ‘family friendly’ was published in ‘CentrePiece’ magazine, Summer issue 2000, by Sue Fernie and Helen Gray (UK). They were able to prove that women workers who were represented by trade unions were twice as likely to benefit from a formal equal opportunities policy; more likely to benefit from flexible working arrangements; and had shorter working hours than their non-union sisters. Writing in the same magazine David Metcalf was able to prove that a female trade union member earns 8.7% more than a woman with the same characteristics who is not in a union. He concluded that: “Trade unions temper the inequality in pay, reduce the incidence of low pay and narrow pay differentials by race and gender.”

The benefits of being in the union in Canada

Unionised Non-unionised
women women

Average earning/hour C$ 18.70 C$ 14.28

Part-time C$ 17.10 C$ 10.39

Those with pension plans 79% 31%

Those with extended medical Coverage 78% 40%

Those with dental plan 72% 38%

In addition, 35% of union contracts have flex-time arrangements; more than 34% have paid leave for illness in the family; 53% have unpaid leave for personal reasons. 61% of union contracts have anti-discrimination provisions; 52% have protection from sexual harassment

In the United States, at the end of the 1990s, union members earned 32% more than unrepresented workers, and union women earned 39% more than their non-union counterparts, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the US Department of Labor.

A survey of women workers in 3 prominent industrial belts of India (Bangalore, Delhi-Faridabad and Pune), carried out by SARDI in 2000, found that the average wage in the organised sector was almost three times that of the unorganised sector. Similarly, the average wage of women employees in non-unionised companies was less than half that of women in unionised companies.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics released figures in March 2002 showing clearly the significant mark-up available to Australian trade union members, who earned an average 15%, or $99, more than non-union members. The ABS data drew particular attention to the benefits available to unionised part-time employees who earned on average 42.9%, or $129, more each week than their non-union colleagues. It is also interesting to note that young union members also gained significantly with 15 to 19-year olds who were union members earning $40 more per week than non-members.

Unions do narrow the wage gap

A particularly clear illustration is available of the extent to which trade union membership enhances the position of women workers if we look at the correlation between the level of trade union organisation of women workers and the extent of the wage gap between women and men. The gap between women’s earnings and those of their male colleagues is lower in countries where women form a high proportion of trade union members. For example: in the EU as a whole, women form 39.2% of trade union membership and earn 79% of the average male wage. However in Finland, where women form 53% of members they earn 86.2% of the average male wage. Whereas, in the Netherlands where women make up only 26.8% of trade union membership women’s earnings amount to only 76% of the average male wage.

But, the glass ceiling is as thick as ever!

“A pyramid” would be an apt description of women’s position in the trade unions: numerous at the base and less and less, as the structure rises. Women account for less than a third of the members of the highest decision body in more than 60% of the unions surveyed in the ILO/ICFTU project. In Europe, only two national confederations, AKAVA (Finland) and TCO (Sweden), were found to have equal representation on the basis of “one man, one woman” in their Congress delegations. The Bulgarian union PODKREPA had no female representation and Turkish unions DISK and TÜRK-IS had 5% and 2% respectively. Less than a quarter of trade union leadership positions were held by women.

Women: source of vitality and strength for the trade unions

“Integrating high priority issues into larger strategies is an effective way to ensure that action is taken and that their importance is reflected in action as well as in words. One example is work in the area of equality. Striving for equality for women and for others in our society who have suffered discrimination and exclusion is, of course, the right thing to do. But, it is also a key building block for the future of the trade union movement. Trade unions have always been a tool for excluded groups to advance their interests and win justice. And the source of strength of trade unions has always been active members and leaders. Vitality and strength in the trade union movement will come from larger numbers of women members coming into our ranks and many more women trade unionists becoming leaders.”

(Source: “Future directions for the ICFTU” – ICFTU General Secretary’s paper for the Steering Committee, June 2002)

A recent survey by ICFTU-APRO on ‘Women Membership and Women in Leadership at APRO Affiliates’ illustrated the extent to which women are under-represented in union leadership positions in the ICFTU’s Asia-Pacific region. Based on gender data for 17 out of 20 affiliate organisations, which had an average female membership rate of 30%, it was shown that women held only 15.5% of leadership positions. The Cook Islands Public Service Association (CIWA) was the only affiliate with a 50:50 ratio - with 5 women among its 10 leaders, however women make up 66% of its total membership. Meanwhile the Korean affiliate, FKTU, which had 16.8% female membership did not have a single woman leader. A further 4 affiliates had less than 10% female representation at leadership level even though their female membership ranged from 20% to 41%.

Data on the representation of women in Nordic trade union confederations in 2000 shows that even where the ratio of female membership is fairly high women still tend to be under-represented in leadership positions. Taking figures from 16 trade union confederations in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, and Norway it found that despite having an average 50% of women members only 34% of Presidents; General Council members; and Executive Council members were women. Women were slightly more visible at Steering committee level, being 43% of the membership, but they formed only 38% of congress delegates.

Women leading the unions

It must be noted, though (and with great satisfaction) that since the last Conference in 1999, a number of women were elected to top union positions, at national, regional and international levels.  Five big national centres are led by women today: Sharan Burrow , President of ACTU Australia, Wanja Lundby Wedin, President of LO Sweden, Gerd-Liv Valla President of LO-Norway, Mia De Vits, President of FGTB Belgium and Claudette Carbonneau, President of the CSN-Canada. At the regional level, the ICFTU-ORIT and the ICFTU-APRO elected women Presidents, Linda Chavez-Thompson of AFL-CIO USA and Sharan Burrow, respectively. One of the GUFs, the IFBWW elected Anita Normark as its General Secretary. At the ICFTU, Mamounata Cisse (who was a Chair of the Women's Committee) was appointed by the Executive Board as Assistant General Secretary, the first woman to hold this position. Long may this trend continue! (see Discussion Sheet 2.2)

Unions throughout the world have been struggling to cope with the same type of male dominated structures. Elma Geswindt, the Gender Co-ordinator of COSATU's Western Cape Region, commented on this phenomena in ‘Bargaining Monitor’, June 2001, saying: “Historically organizing in South Africa was almost entirely focused on male workers and their needs and interests. Most trade unions in South Africa have elected men to positions of leadership and have failed to address the specific concerns of women workers.”

These sentiments echo a comment made by RENGO, the Japanese trade union federation, in its publication ‘The Spring Struggle for a Better Life 2001’. Having surveyed its affiliated unions RENGO found that 58.1% of the respondents replied that they had done nothing on gender equality.

A model clause for the British TUC

In recognition of the continuing invisibility of women at senior levels in UK unions the British Trades Union Congress decided in September 2001 to introduce a model clause committing each of its affiliated unions to work towards equality – as a condition of TUC affiliation. The TUC’s Model Clause is as follows:

The objects of the union shall include:

a) the promotion of equality for all including through:

• collective bargaining, publicity material and campaigning, representation, union organisation and structures, education and training, organising and recruitment, the provision of all other services and benefits and all other activities;
• the union’s own employment practices.

b) To oppose actively all forms of harassment, prejudice and unfair discrimination whether on the grounds of sex, race, ethnic or national origin, religion, colour, class, caring responsibilities, marital status, sexuality, disability, age, or other status or personal characteristic.

At the same time the TUC announced the introduction of a comprehensive equality auditing process of unions which will form the basis of a report to Congress every two years, to be used to help maximise the dissemination and adoption of best practice throughout the trade union movement. The need for these new measures was illustrated by the fact that of the TUC’s 69 affiliated unions only nine (13%) had a woman at the helm, and most of these unions had fewer than 9,000 members. Only 4 of the biggest 10 unions (holding over 80% of all TUC membership) have a woman at deputy/assistant general secretary level. A survey carried out by the Labour Research Department in 2001-02 concluded that: “Overall the picture of women’s equality within unions is still one of unsteady improvement in the intermediate ranks, but with a very firm glass ceiling at the most senior levels”.

The importance of data gathering

In many situations the first step towards challenging gender issues within trade unions will comprise of assembling current data on the gender characteristics of local union organisations. The 2000/2001 ICFTU/FNV Gender Project “Promotion of Gender Specific Policy within Trade Unions in Central and Eastern Europe” is a good example of just such an exercise. The findings were published in “The Male Face of Trade Unions in Central and Eastern Europe”. Looking at 23 trade union confederations in the region of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) it established that women made up on average 43.6% of the work force and at least 44.8% of trade union members. However, women made up only between 19.3% and 41.7% - or an average of 27.8% - of the membership of decision-making bodies, and a mere 15% of the top level positions. As regards the gender balance among union Heads of Departments; Trade Union Experts; and union Administrators: women in these positions represented 41.5%; 52.7%; and 76%, respectively. The Project report concluded that “...The face on television and other media of Central and Eastern European trade unions is the face of a middle-aged man. ...The question remains: How much longer will women pay into trade unions that do not have their face and do not recognise their interests?”

The presentation of such analytical material also serves as the best basis for future comparisons and analyses of progress towards true gender representation. This is why the Irish trade union, Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU), published ‘Gender Equality in SIPTU: Key Statistics’ in February 2001 showing key gender statistics in the union – and pledged to update the data on an annual basis.

The ‘Gender Equality’ report formed part of the process of evaluating and promoting gender equity in SIPTU. Its annual updates will provide a key benchmark by which the Gender Equity Committee will be able to evaluate and promote gender equity in the union and seriously tackle gender imbalances at all levels of the organisation.

Making the most of positive action

A great number of trade unions have adopted – and are implementing with varying degrees of success - positive action policies aimed at improving the participation of women at all levels.

Congress sets target...

In 1996 the CGIL Congress set targets for mainstreaming gender in all its policies, programmes and activities and for gender representation – viz. neither sex can have a representation level below 40%, or above 60%, in all leadership bodies, be they members’ committees, retired workers’ associations or executive committees. The National Women’s Forum preparing for the 16th Congress ( 2002), raised two questions: a) was the CGIL’s (Italy) mainstreaming method really working? and b) was the “anti-discrimination rule” welcomed by everyone as a democratic instrument, or was it considered impossible to achieve? Congress gave positive responses to both questions. The approach promoted by the CGIL women of not addressing equality issues separately in documents, but to mainstream these – also using a form of language clearly indicating that women workers are being addressed alongside their male counterparts - is more effective and makes documents easier to read. This has been particularly true of those submitted to national forums, the conclusions of which reflected the effectiveness of this strategy.

...and meets it!

In terms of representation the results have been equally positive. The Steering Committee, though reducing its total number of members, observed the anti-discrimination rule by electing 6 women amongst the 12 members of the National Secretariat.

in Australia, too.

In October 2000 the ACTU in Australia made history when its affirmative action policies resulted in the election of an executive comprised of 50% women. The ACTU Congress had set targets of 25% female representation in the executive in 1993, 30% by 1995, 40% by 1997 and equal representation by 2000.

For example the 1993 Congress of the Public Services International (PSI) set a target date of 2000 for achieving a 50:50 ratio of women in titular positions on the PSI Executive Board and its Regional Executive Committees, and as participants in PSI activities and structures. By 2001 women constituted 22% of titular representative on the PSI Executive Board, compared with 17% in 1997. Its Asia Pacific region had achieved the highest percentage of women’s representation at 33%. But its European Region still only had 25%, its Inter America’s had only 14%, and neither its Africa nor Arab regions had any women as titular representatives on the Executive Board. However the number of women substitute members had increased significantly with Europe having 50% female representation and 70% of the Asia Pacific region’s substitute members being female. The importance of affirmative action policies is particularly illustrated by the details of female participation on PSI regional executives, which indicate male:female ratios when account is/or is not taken of these measures:

A victory in gender parity was achieved at its last Congress (Ottawa, September 2002). The PSI amended its Constitution to provide for gender parity in its decision-making bodies at international, regional levels and sub-regional levels. The newly-elected executive board of the PSI has an equal number of women and men, making it the first international trade union organization to apply the principle of gender parity at this level. PSI is now recommending that affiliates adopt similar policies or amend their own constitutions, accordingly. The next Congress, in 2007, will report on how successful the strategy has worked at national level.

Reserved seats: preferred strategy....

ICFTU affiliates at the end of 1998 found that 70% national centres and 58% trade unions had instituted measures to increase the participation of women in leadership positions. Of the 57 national centres and 160 trade unions surveyed it was found that reserved/additional seats were the preferred means of positive action, as is shown in the following table:

Measures taken to increase the participation of women
in leadership positions

Type of measure No. of National Centres No. of Trade Unions

Reserved/additional seats 17 36
Targets 16 29
Quotas 15 22
Double nominations 5 10

Constitutional changes do bring about changes

The union Constitution or Statutes underpin all policies and programmes. Previous Women’s Conferences – not only at international, but regional and national levels, as well – have emphasised the importance for women’s/equality structures to examine these on a regular basis, in particular before Congresses, with a view to proposing amendments to further the equality agenda. Moreover, lobbying strategies must be carefully worked out to ensure that these amendments are adopted by Congress.

The Women’s Committee of the ICFTU makes it a point to present amendments to the Constitution at every Congress. Thus, significant changes have been made over the years, including: revision of the Constitution using gender neutral language, five reserved seats on the Executive Board; inclusion of “gender parity” as one of the objectives of the ICFTU; gender parity in Congress delegations.

Recommendations of the 7th World Women’s Conference

Unions should:

• Examine their gender policies and programmes, using data collection and statistics, if possible: The results should be reported to the ICFTU, with an indication of methods used. Based on the findings, the affiliates should draw up a 4-year plan, the implementation of which should also be reported to the ICFTU;
• Adapt trade union structures which will reflect the needs and aspirations of working women;
• Achieve gender parity in all trade union activities and programmes;
• Maintain and expand networking between union women at national; regional and international levels;
• Allocate fair and adequate budgets for women’s activities and the active involvement of women in deciding on the allocation of budgets;
• Set up monitoring mechanisms to enable unions to facilitate gender breakdown in statistics and figures drawn up by trade unions;
• Train women to participate in high-level meetings at all levels.
• Relevant indicators for assessing the success of the above-mentioned actions should include:
• The number of women in negotiating committees at all levels;
• Women’s participation in trade union education programmes;
• Improvements in pay equality.
• encourage and assist women to set up their own committees, departments; etc. and for the ICFTU and its regional organisations to continue their support to this end:
• cease assigning, as a matter of course, posts to women which reinforce stereotypes;
• increase training programmes for women; in particular on leadership skills, economics and research; for the ICFTU: to keep extending much-needed support for these programmes;
• ensure that women are included in meetings, missions, congresses at the national, regional and international levels;
• To the ICFTU: to apply more strictly the Positive Action Programme for Women in Development Co-operation and evaluate its implementation at all levels: workplace, national, regional and international.