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Reflections: On women in trade unions

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Page context: Home > Transport International Magazine > Issue 26 January 2007 > Reflections on women in trade unions

Women in our region generally do not see trade unions as relevant to them in spite of their increasing participation in the labour force. For example women in the aviation sector in Jordan account for only about 25 per cent of the trade union membership and represent less than one per cent of the decision-making bodies of unions.

Why? The main reasons are that family’s responsibilities are essential, and come first. On one hand many women are often not clear how joining a trade union can help them, or indeed just what the role of a trade union is. On the other hand, unions are often not sensitive to the needs of women workers, and many male trade unionists have strongly resisted the participation of women in trade unions, particularly in the decision–making bodies. However, we are beginning to see a change in attitude from both men and women, towards trade unions themselves and each other’s role in the unions.
-Wadha Da’abis, General Trade Union of Workers in Air Transport and Tourism, Jordan

Organising in 2007

What plans does your union have for filling in any membership gaps or reaching out to new groups of workers over the coming year?

If you have a view to share with TI readers, please send you brief comments to parris_kay@itf.org.uk. Letters may be edited.

The Airline Pilots’ Association (ALPA) represents all of its pilots, including women, in the same, equal manner. In my years of experience it has been very obvious that a woman’s performance on the flight deck is the same as her counterpart’s. This demonstrated and observed performance indicates no difference between us while doing our job. ALPA has ensured and promoted diversity on the flightdeck and within the union, as evidenced by my own personal involvement as a pilot and an ALPA volunteer.
-Carmine Maruska, Airline Pilots’ Association International, USA

As with all women at work, issues of equal pay, opportunity and childcare are the big issues. The gender pay gap continues to survive legislative and trade union strategies to eliminate it.

Our union, Siptu, has a fulltime equality officer at senior level and a lay activist committee working to address these issues. The union’s concerns form part of our submission, together with the trade union congress, to our government in the pre-budget period and also in our submissions to the government on its five year national development plan.

The union also runs training courses in equality issues at our college for activists and supports the inclusion of key women industrial staff in a European-funded mentoring programme for women aiming at leadership in the trade union movement.
-Anne Speed, Services Industrial, Professional and Technical Union, Ireland

While our union is undergoing reorganisation, eight out of the 15 female taxi drivers in Cartagena, Colombia, are affiliated with us. This is an indication of our union’s credibility.

What’s more, their participation has been very beneficial in meetings and seminars organised by the ITF. They have passed on their experiences to other female affiliates in our union, which has allowed for an improved relationship and more recognition of women.

The number of women affiliates in our union has increased and we take this into account with the participation of women in all our union meetings and events.

The recent statute reform approved by our assembly of affiliates and the ministry of work includes an article that encouraged and supported the “good work” and union work done by the wives of executive board members and members of standing committees. This year a women’s committee was established, which consisted of manager’s wives and our female affiliates. They have organised three social and economic activities with the participation of the wives and children of our male affiliates, achieving better integration and a sense of belonging with the union.
-Estebán Barboza Palencia, Sindicato de Conductores de Taxis de Cartagena, Colombia

Women play a critical role in our union. We work very hard on family medical leave provisions, because usually it is the woman worker who has to juggle work and the care for children and elderly parents. If we are able to promote family friendly legislation and collective bargaining provisions on these issues everyone benefits, and our women members are able to strike a balance between home and workplace demands.
-Carla Winkler, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, USA

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Issue 26 January 2007

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