British Columbia Federation of Labour

During the last decade, union women have made many significant gains in improving their working conditions and becoming full participants in the labour movement. Most unions have adopted, and reaffirmed, a wide range of policies on women’s issues. However, these policies have been difficult to implement and have come about only after a long hard struggle.

Obviously, there are many factors that block the attainment of the objectives outlined in the policies. Among the arguments used against them are those based on cost and perceived, administrative nightmares. The strongest argument though, comes from the societal ideology that assigns women to traditional roles. This view is reflected in our unions and, as elsewhere, is built into the structure and organization of our unions.

While this problem has been recognized, it presents a Catch-22 situation. Women are told they must become active in their unions and challenge these views. Yet, until some of these structural barriers are removed, women cannot become full participants in the labour movement.

Most active union women are either single or, if married, they have no children or their children are grown. Women who do not fit this profile have participated by making tremendous personal sacrifices.

No one would argue that only women have had to make these personal sacrifices. The division of labour between the sexes has been slowly changing over the last two decades. Many men are taking over more responsibility for child rearing and these men face some of the same decisions about the degree of personal union activity women do. Simply, these are not just problems of individual men and women, but are issues that have a significant impact for the entire union and its members.

It is time to analyze the structures and organization of unions and union work. For example, union work prevents many union members and staff from sharing equally in parenting and domestic duties in their own families. Irregular hours and schedules, or travel, or just the poor timing and location of meetings, might prohibit the sharing of these duties. Add to these considerations the cost of childcare. In union work, there are types of situations and interactions carried on traditionally which present an obstacle to women’s activities. Social conditioning which pronounces that women should not speak up and should not get involved with politics, while men are conditioned to be quite the opposite, presents a real barrier to women’s activities. Many women see the union structure as male-dominated, and thus, unconcerned about their issues. These structural constraints must be challenged and alternative models must be put forward.

Approximately 70 percent of BC working women are unorganized. Challenging traditional structures and the way organizations schedule work is never an easy task or one that is readily accepted. But, for the future of our movement, we believe time is of the essence to begin this challenge.

Women’s Conferences

Women’s conferences have provided a forum for union women to express their concerns about their work from a woman’s perspective. These conferences allow delegates to meet other union activists who share common problems and interests. Solutions are proposed and discussed. The union movement is presented as a vehicle for solving work problems. Interest is enhanced and increased participation in the union, usually results. It is important that unions continue to provide funds that ensure women members can attend these conferences.

Women’s Rights Committees

For years, a central British labour body attempted to increase the participation of its female membership to no avail. Women’s issues were raised frequently and union representatives went to bat, for its’ women members, by attempting to negotiate what they perceived to be of interest to women. However, it was a women’s conference that finally changed that participation level.

At the conference, women’s committees were presented as necessary to examine, discuss and propose solutions to the problems of women. The committees were formed and the participation of women shot up. This experience is typical. If unions are to confront women’s issues and change their practices, the concerns raised by these committees, must be seen as both primary and integral to all facets of the union’s activities. A formal procedure for consultation in all aspects of executive decision-making should be incorporated and resources allocated.

Union Meetings

One of the greatest obstacles to women’s participation in the labour movement is the scheduling of meetings. Most women have two full-time jobs. They work all day and then continue working once they get home. Although the division of labour, in the home is changing slowly, it is a fact that women still carry the primary responsibility for work surrounding the home and family. Most union meetings occur after normal working hours. They may be held at the very time when children must be picked up from childcare centres or dinners cooked. Rescheduling meetings to occur during the employer’s work time or during lunch hours are alternatives that should be reviewed.

In other cases, it is the cost of attending these meetings that is prohibitive. Babysitting must be paid and increased transportation costs might be a factor. Certainly the time, location and cost of attending meetings should be examined and new solutions, where possible, should be proposed.

Role Models

One way of increasing the participation of union women is by increasing the presence of women at all levels of the labour movement. Central labour bodies, all across Canada, have made constitutional changes that provide for more representation on their executives. Slowly, the number of women in full-time union positions is increasing. These women become role models for others. Their presence alone gives support and encouragement to other women to pursue their life work in the labour movement. Moreover, women who take their positions as role models seriously, can greatly enhance the opportunities for other women by sharing their knowledge, skills and women’s perspectives.

Where there is a low rate of female participation in a union, the full-time staff and executive members should represent the gender ration of the union membership to increase women’s participation.

Conclusion

To summarize the points raised above, we recommend five proposals for increasing the participation of women in the labour movement:

1. Union activities or meetings be reorganized so that the timing and location encourage women’s participation [during employers’ hours, lunchtime and on-site];

2. That financial resources be allocated to send women to labour women’s conferences;

3. This Convention reiterate its support for the existing policies of the B.C. Federation of Labour and the Canadian Labour Congress, encouraging the formation of women’s rights committees, by providing them with adequate financial and other resources, and by incorporating a formal procedure for consultation with these committees in all aspects of executive decision-making;

4. The Convention applaud the leadership of the Canadian Labour Congress, this Federation of Labour and other Federations of Labour across the country, which have established election objectives based on the ratio of female-to-male members in the membership; and

5. The B.C. Federation of Labour encourage affiliates to emulate these progressive steps to achieve equity by establishing similar objectives in all internal policies governing hiring, elections and appointments.

There are other proposals that would enhance the involvement of union women. We feel confident that the proposals here would remove those which have been identified by many women as the most serious obstacles to their union activity. The connection between our policies or objectives, and the very character of our organizations, must be more firmly established so that our unions more visibly reflect our policies. We have women in the trade union movement who must become more active.

We have women outside of the labour movement who must become organized. The entire labour movement can only benefit by the increased participation of all its members.

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