Challenging Misconceptions about Organizing Women into Unions

Abstract

In many countries, women are the fastest growing group of unionized workers. As unions scramble to restore their flagging membership, women become central to the process of union membership renewal. Yet survey data collected from union organizers in Canada show that unions are only partially meeting women's demand for union representation, in large part because of gender bias in union organizing practices. To develop this argument, this article offers data analysis that challenges four popular misconceptions about women and unions which contribute to gender bias in union organizing practices. These misconceptions are: women are less likely to support unions than men; high rates of unionization in the public sector rather than women themselves explain the high rates of union growth amongst women; small workplaces are a particular barrier to organizing women and women are more passive and avoid conflict, therefore reducing their likelihood of withstanding a hostile organizing drive. Having challenged these misconceptions, the article concludes with a discussion of the many ways in which union organizing practices are gender biased. Issues discussed range from the limited number of women hired as organizers to the tendency of unions to target small male-dominated workplaces for organizing, over women-dominated workplaces, in spite of the latter's greater likelihood of success.

Employee voice: does union membership matter?

“…Gender was included as women employees may well have a negative view of voice arrangements as they are often excluded from information flows, often occupy low-level positions and also are less likely to participate in collective union voice arrangements and collective non-union problem-solving groups (Batt et al, 2002: 585). While there is a significant body of research that suggests that women have as strong a preference for unionisation as do men (Leigh and Hills, 1987;Yates, 2006), this research also points out that gender differences in unionisation rates can be substantially attributed to the male-focused recruitment practices of unions and the means of communicating with, and representing, female members (Yates, 2006).…”

“…, 2002: 585). While there is a significant body of research that suggests that women have as strong a preference for unionisation as do men (Leigh and Hills, 1987; Yates, 2006), this research also points out that gender differences in unionisation rates can be substantially attributed to the male‐focused recruitment practices of unions and the means of communicating with, and representing, female members (Yates, 2006).…”

‘Dirty Work?’ Gender, Race and the Union in Industrial Cleaning

“…Feminist scholars and others have noted that unions are constituted as male organizations whose collective identities were constructed around masculinist understandings of work and the ‘ideal’ worker (Creese, ; Forrest, ). In Canada, as elsewhere, the diversity of the workforce has grown and as unions faced declining memberships, they have sought to recruit workers from amongst women, racialized and immigrant groups (Cranford, ; Milkman, ; Yates, ). This in turn has pressured unions to change to better reflect their diverse membership.…”

Where Are All the Women? Institutional Context and the Prevalence of Women on the Corporate Board of Directors

“…In particular, trade unions have been influential in restricting women's access to particular industries with some scholars suggesting labour unions have been instrumental in suppressing the rise of women in certain areas of employment (Caraway, 2006;Booth, 1986). Despite a general trend in the rise of female employees, labour unions are not meeting the growing demand for union membership amongst women, in part because of prevailing sexist attitudes and partly because unions target male dominated environments when they recruit (Yates, 2006).…”