100 likes | 115 Views
Women’’s Empower, Gender Equality and Labour Rights: Transforming the Terrain. Quotas for Women unionists: Trial and error. Sally Choi Hong Kong Confederation of trade union 31-7-2013. HKCTU structure. Before adopting the quota system in 2006 Over 80 affiliates and nearly 160,000 members
E N D
Women’’s Empower, Gender Equality and Labour Rights: Transforming the Terrain Quotas for Women unionists: Trial and error Sally Choi Hong Kong Confederation of trade union 31-7-2013
Before adopting the quota system in 2006 • Over 80 affiliates and nearly 160,000 members • Female members participation/representation • At least 1 female representative who is nominated by women committee, be the vice chair Women participation
HK Feminist group advocated for gender mainstreaming • ITUC campaign for women representation in unions External influences
Unfair to male members • Can women seats represent the interest of all women members? • Feeling inferior to take the women seats Debates and reservations
During the Annual General Members (AGM) meeting of HKCTU in 2006 • Constitution adopted quota system: • Maximum 4 seats (quota) for women candidate at the exco • Female members are not excluded from general election channel • One of the quota is reserved for nomination from Women committee and other 4 quotas are open for nominations from affiliates • Candidates who take women seats should participate women committee • At least 1 vice chair person is Women Quota system: Women seats
Unutilized of the quotas for female candidate • Low participation of Women seats exco members in Women Committee • No big increase of female nominations from affliates • No big change in the leadership level of affliates Questions remain
Low leadership turnover (transition) rate • No additional resources for women leadership building and gender training • Differences among female unionists / class differences (white collar vs blue collar) Structural problems