Equality and diversity actors: a challenge to traditional industrial relations?

Healy, Geraldine; Oikelome, Franklin

doi:10.1108/02610150710726525

Cited by 22 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…The view of a number of respondents also supported the findings of Healy and Oikelome (2007) who argue that often equality networks are 'inward looking' and not wholly integrated into the union structure and organisation. A number of regional activists felt that the equality rep would be an ideal member of the TUC regional fora and would help address the perceived disconnection between these bodies and affiliates within the region.…”

Section: The Potential Role Of the Union Equality Representativesupporting

confidence: 63%

“…This aspect of the role resonates with Healy and Oikelome's (2007) call for unions to identify and work more closely with other 'diversity actors ' and Parker's (2008) findings on national TUC policy and strategy to build greater alliances in civil society.…”

Section: The Potential Role Of the Union Equality Representativementioning

confidence: 99%

“…This insight has also been utilised by Kirton and Greene (2006) in considering 'the discourse of diversity' in terms of how trade union officers view the traditional moral and legal arguments of equal opportunities against the more business focussed rhetoric of managing diversity. Similarly, recent work studying the role of union activists as one of four groups of 'equality and diversity actors' within 'industrial relations' (Healy and Oikelome, 2007) …”

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confidence: 99%

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Exploring the potential of the union equality representative

Bennett

2010

Employee Relations

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PurposeTo report on a qualitative study of the views of a cross-section of union regional activists and officers on the potential of a newly developed equality representative role in promoting greater equality in the workplace. Methodology Findings are based on an analysis of interview data incorporating the views and experiences of 32 officers and activists currently promoting equality in a region of the UK. Findings Findings suggest that this is an equality initiative whose time may have come. This conclusion, however, is tempered by respondents' belief that the equality representative project can only fulfil its potential if the role is mainstreamed into branch structures, policies and processes and, crucially, that the same statutory recognition enjoyed by other union representatives is granted to the equality representative. LimitationsThe project is at an early stage of development. Therefore, findings are based on the views of significant proponents of union equality initiatives in the region of study. Further research is needed to assess the actual impact of the new representatives as they become active in their branches and organisations. Implications There are clear implications for management in terms of allowing representatives facility time and thus sharing the potential benefits of this new source of equality expertise. For the unions, the challenge is to mainstream the new role at all levels of the union and negotiate adequate facility time for the equality representative. Originality The research is one of the few studies focussing on this new union strategy for better addressing the equality needs of their members and offers a clear insight into its potential success.Key words: Unions, equality, diversity, renewal strategy, legislation.Paper type: Research paper. 3 IntroductionThe immense challenge facing the British union movement in terms of devising a credible renewal strategy is well documented in contemporary employee relations literature (Fernie, 2005: Metcalf, 2005, as is the debate around the potential for developing an equality and diversity agenda that would appeal to new and existing members as part of that strategy (Lindsay et al., 2007). Furthermore, there has been much discussion, and no little disagreement, regarding the unions' current learning initiative centred on utilising union learning representatives to support members' training and development needs as a strategy for renewal (Wallis et al., 2005;McIlroy, 2008). With these debates central to its focus, this article explores two key research questions: What are the views of full-time officers and activists actively engaged in promoting equality in one region of the UK on the potential role of the new union equality representative as part of a strategy of renewal? To what degree does the strategy used for the development of a network of union learning representatives offer a useful template for the equality representative project? It is of note that, with the exception of Moore (2010) and Hoque and Bacon (2010), the role of ...

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Section: The Potential Role Of the Union Equality Representativesupporting

confidence: 63%

Section: The Potential Role Of the Union Equality Representativementioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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Exploring the potential of the union equality representative

Bennett

2010

Employee Relations

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“…This perpetuates inequalities because HR managers draw heavily from grand business case discourses in terms of organizational goals, such as customer care, quality, financial competence, and teamwork, and compliance such as availability, loyalty, and work pace. On the other hand, Healy and Oikelome (2007) in their study of diversity professionals in the UK Health Service found that diversity professionals work with multiple actors with competing agendas.…”

Section: Theoretical Backdrop: Eandd Officers As Change Agentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Questioning impact: interconnection between extra-organizational resources and agency of equality and diversity officers

Tatlι

Nicolopoulou

Özbilgin

et al. 2014

The International Journal of Human Resource Management

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This paper examines the change agency of equality and diversity (E&D) officers with a specific emphasis on the role of extra-organizational influences and resources. The paper is informed by qualitative material collected through interviews with E&D officers from 20 higher education institutions in the UK. The paper offers an evidence-based analysis of the utility of extra-organizational mechanisms and intervention programmes for organizational E&D agenda and for the agentic influence of E&D officers. The paper contributes to both academic literature and policy-making. We present original empirical insights into the change agency of E&D officers by exploring the impact of extra-organizational bodies as potential mechanisms for support and influence. At the policy level, the paper provides evidence on the value of extra-organizational resources and tools that are produced by policy bodies in promoting progressive E&D agendas in organizations.

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“…Healy and Oikelome (2007), having focused on health services in the UK, illustrated that diversity professionals both compete with and complement the work of trade union actors. On the other hand, Kirton, Greene, and Dean (2007) revealed that the radicalism of diversity professionals is tempered between competing demands of organizational objectives and their commitment to equality.…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%