Change needed to maximise women’s potential

Sui-Linn White...change needed

by Kerri Carr

Discussions and debates that develop union structures and practices that strengthen women's participation and contribute to the union's survival need to be had now, Sui-Linn White told Annual Conference.

Ms White was launching her Eric Pearson Study Report, Refining Activism: Gender Perspectives in Union Participation.

Ms White said Federation has some excellent programs that had been very effective in increasing women's participation but there was still work that needed to be done to ensure that programs, structures and practices involve the full range of women members at all levels so that our union represents a true reflection of its membership.

"The participation and representation of this diverse range of members must be facilitated at school, Association, Council and Executive and Officer levels," she said.

Ms White said unions advocate for family friendly, flexible work arrangements but don't seem to model it very often.

"Perhaps that's because of the accepted model of the 'heroic' union worker -- childless, always contactable, long hours," she said.

"If we are to engage our union members and attract members to work for the union we need to make sure that we promote a healthy balance of work and life for our members as well as our officers."

She spoke for the need for flexibility to accommodate the changing nature of women's work patterns brought about by family responsibilities at different stages of their careers.

Ms White gave the example of two Welsh women who fought bureaucracy to be able to stand together for election to share the position of Divisional Secretary for the National Union of Teachers.

"[It] was an excellent win for the union, because they had the expertise and creative energy of two women who wanted to be there and could work together very successfully, but were not able to do the job full-time and were prepared to challenge existing structures and practices to enable them to achieve it," she said.

"The Welsh job share example is a great demonstration that transformational leadership and creating avenues for others is only possible when the leaders are not paralysed by work overload," she added.

Ms White said that if unions don't put into place appropriate strategies such as providing family friendly workplaces and encouraging healthy work-life balance, then organisations would miss out and end up with yet another male dominated generation of leaders.

"We must heed the warning made by Ray Calvin, a long serving general secretary of a teacher union in Northern Ireland," Ms White said.

"He was most emphatic that on his retirement the next GS in his union should be a woman. According to him, 'If it doesn't happen now, then it won't happen for another generation'."

"His comment brings together many of the issues around redefining activism. Firstly, the issues around union culture, including that barrier of long tenure and incumbency that prevents women, whose careers are most likely to be interrupted by caring responsibilities, from putting themselves forward or being accepted in leadership positions. Secondly, the importance of women in representation positions, which encourages others to participate. And thirdly, his comment points to the 'generational chasm' and the concern for future directions that all unions are being forced to address," Ms White said.

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Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005