From membership to leadership: advancing women in trade unions

1. From membership to leadership: advancing women in trade unions Dr Jane Pillinger ETUC workshop, Berlin 28 October 2010

2. Purpose of the report • To raise awareness of the value of women in leadership • To provide practice tools and guidance, including examples of different union approaches • To assist ETUC, EIF and national confederations in developing pro-active strategies

3. Background of the report • The report draws on: • 8th of March 2010 Survey findings • Discussions and recommendations from ETUC Conference held in Luxembourg 11-12 March 2010 • Previous ETUC work in the field of gender equality and gender balance • Concrete good practice examples provided by trade unions and sets this in the wider EU policy context

4. Policy context: women in decision-making a priority • ETUC policies and objectives • Equality Action Plans, 1999 and 2003 • Mid Term Review, 2007 • Charter on Gender Mainstreaming, 2007 • EU social partners’ policies and objectives • Framework of Actions on Gender Equality, 2005 • EU policies and objectives • Gender Equality Roadmap (2006-2010) • Strategy for Gender Equality (2010-2015)

5. Why gender balanced decision making? The benefits for trade unions: • Modern image, in touch with membership • Representative of the diversity of membership • Fulfilling economic, social and political objectives • Gender equality in the wider economy/society Gender balance enhances: • Union democracy and union’s external image; • Enables unions to be dynamic and transformational; • More holistic approach to decision-making; • Ensures that the needs of all members are met; • Changes union culture; • Provide role models for women; • Positive impact on recruitment and organising.

6. Economic and financial crisis: how women can turn the crisis into an opportunity • Worrying trend towards lack of priority for the gender analysis of policies and downgrading of gender equality • And yet…gender equality is critical for economic growth and recovery • Opinion of European Economic and Social Committee • Swedish Presidency of the EU: conference conclusions • European Commission report 2010 • Gender perspective needed in response to the economic and financial crisis and for how we emerge from the financial crisis • Ensure that women are not disproportionally affected by the crisis • Ensure women are part of the solution • Make better use of women’s talents and skills for the future

7. Under-representation of women in leadership and decision-making • Politics and economy • Democratic deficit in politics(1 in 4 of national parliaments; 1 in 3 of European parliament). See EWL 50/50 campaign • Company boards and in the economy (1 in 3 of managers, 3% of directors of top quoted company boards; 1 in 10 of company boards) • Trade unions • Women’s membership has sustained trade union membership levels – in 2010 women were 43.6% of ETUC members • Persistent low level of women in leadership positions (only a few female dominated unions have achieved gender balance) • In ETUC women are 17% of Executive and 13% of Steering Committee

8. What are the barriers? • Union culture values the participation of men and discourages women’s participation “Men have their own social networks and unofficial issues are decided before the start of meetings and decision-making procedures” • Negative stereotypes work against women’s participation “We need to have solidarity amongst women. There is an old boys network, and I hope that we are building one now for women and men that is based on equality and social justice” • Negative impact of the economic crisis “…we need to be cautious as women’s issues are slipping down the agenda” • Women hold themselves back / confidence “We have to believe in ourselves as women, this is hard as the prevailing view is that trade union leaders should be men”

9. What are the barriers? • Women hit the glass ceiling “The glass ceiling is there all the time, its only when we hit it that we really notice it is there..it is really important that we tackle these problems before we hit the ceiling” • Time constraints “Time is a cultural issue for women” • Lack of knowledge about union decision-making structures “Knowledge is the most important thing” • Young women and men not attracted to union decision-making roles “We have to promote leadership as a model and sustain it. We need to open minds for young people in leadership” • Union structures replicate women’s disadvantaged labour market situation “We need a paradigm shift about what people can do, what skills are transferable”

10. Bringing gender balance to the centre of trade unions • Union strategies: perspectives of trade union leaders “It is important not to juxtapose women against men and visa-versa. A key issue is how we can share power in trade unions. To do this we need Constitutional support mechanisms in our national and European structures” (Carola Fischbach-Pyttle, EPSU General Secretary

11. Lessons from the business community • Preparing women for leadership • Value of mentoring, developing leadership skills, being part of networks, voicing ambitions, becoming invaluable, supporting other women in leadership roles “Women have a love hate relationship with power, they often think about abuse of power, intimidation and excesses of power…power is the tool to create the things you want… way to enable others and power should be embraced by women” (MirellaVisser) “Women need to promote themselves and start acting as leaders before they get into a leadership position” (MirellaVisser)

12. Ten things trade unions can do to promote gender balance • Make the arguments for gender balance as a core union priority. • Actively promote gender equality at all levels of the organisation through gender mainstreaming. • Introduce statutory rule changes on gender balance. • Prepare women from decision-making and leadership roles. • Engage men to build a consensus for gender balance. • Address the image and culture of unions. • Build union organisation so that women’s activism, involvement decision-making roles exists at all levels of the union. • Ensure that trade union organisations promote gender diversity through their own internal human resources. • Provide gender disaggregated data. • Take a strategic approach and develop concrete actions plans to improve gender balance.

13. Actively promote gender equality / gender mainstreaming • Gender mainstreaming policies are central to addressing the structural barriers to gender balance • FGTB Charter on Gender Mainstreaming • CGIL Social Budget / Gender Budget • In collective bargaining • MSZOSZ, Hungary guidelines on gender equality • LO-Norway guidelines and checklist on gender mainstreaming in collective bargaining • OGB Austria gender mainstreaming of collective bargaining / monitoring of bargaining contracts • LBAS Latvia guide to gender equality in collective bargaining

14. Statutory role changes on gender balance • Commitment to gender equality in union Constitutions • CGT France, statute sets out principle gender equality • ACLVB-CGSL, Belgium, statute “Integrates the principle of gender equality in its functioning, its internal organisation as well as its awareness raising activities” • Quotas • ICTU Ireland, 8 seats for women on Executive • DGB reserved seats for women and equal voting rights • OGB, Austria, quota based on percentage of women at each level of union • UGT, Spain, quota for proportional representation • FGTB/ABVV, Belgium, objective of one-third women or representation that is proportional to membership • LO-Norway, quota of minimum 40% representation of women • EPSU, gender parity (50-50) in statutory decision-making bodies • EFFAT, ‘gender alternate’ of President / Vice President • GFDT, France ‘double candidature’ system

15. Prepare women for leadership roles • Education and training for women – confidence building, knowledge of union structures etc. • Mentoring schemes • Networking of women in unions • Some examples • ICTU, Ireland: LIFT Programme • UGT, Spain: Women Leaders School • Fenanet Network, Eurocadres

16. Many thanks!