Gender and Trade Unions

"Gender and Trade Unions" explores the impact of work and gender roles on union activism and identifies factors that support and hinder women's representation in trade unions. These issues are discussed in terms of gender role, work-related and union-related factors. For example, women's lower levels of job seniority often made holding a union office difficult, especially in terms of leaving the job to do union work. Therefore, the union facilities agreement in respect to time off for union work operated better for male officers and for higher grades. The book details what trade unionists are doing to challenge these inequalities, and identifies factors that unite and divide women and men within trade unions. Seeking to develop a new theoretical approach to the study of women's union participation, "Gender and Trade Unions", gives recognition to work-based factors in union participation rather than explaining women's union participation solely in terms of their gender roles. The author shows the impact that feminism has had on the trade union movement and explores the extent to which men and women have similar priorities for collective bargaining.
The book concludes with policy recommendations for increasing women's represnetation within trade unions and making trade unions more responsive to the needs and interests of their women members.