A feminist trade union agenda? The continued significance of class, gender and race.

Munro, Anne

Abstract

During the 1990s attempts to identify a feminist trade union agenda have focused on both the content and process of such a potential agenda. In a period in which trade unions have changed significantly, the general national agenda appears to be changing, acknowledging issues of importance to women. UNISON, Britain's largest trade union, has enshrined proportionality and fair representation in its constitution, developing national initiatives aimed at improving opportunities in work and in the union for women, black workers, manual workers, disabled workers, etc. who traditionally have been less well represented. Many issues affecting women generally have moved to centre stage, yet issues affecting women ancillary workers seem as excluded as ever. Through a study of cleaners in the National Health Service this article argues that workplace interests reflect wider social divisions, but in a variety of patterns depending on the social organization of work. Despite the widening trade union agenda, particular interests — more specifically the workplace interests of working-class women and black women — continue to be neglected.

Citation

Munro, A. (2001). A feminist trade union agenda? The continued significance of class, gender and race. Gender, Work and Organization, 8(4), 454-471. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0432.00141

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Dec 16, 2002
• Publication Date: 2001-10
• Deposit Date: Feb 4, 2008
• Print ISSN: 0968-6673
• Electronic ISSN: 1468-0432
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 8
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 454-471
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0432.00141
• Keywords: women, race, gender, trade unions, NHS
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/2051