Equality issues have to be the core of every Union activity to ensure that equality is built in, or mainstreamed within Trade Unions. There are a number of ways that Trade Unions can mainstream equality including:
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Identifying member's priorities when bargaining on behalf of different groups of members. For example, for black workers, appointment and promotion are possible priorities; for disabled workers, the top priorities can relate to reasonable adjustments for access. This is achieved by providing guidance through specialised information and advice on equality issues for Trade Union Officials and Reps. Other methods include providing training in bargaining for equality issues for union reps and officials and monitoring the impact of guidance on collective bargaining.
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Monitoring Union's service provision to determine to what extent they are tailored to different categories of Union members and deliver on equality of access. This includes monitoring the impact of union legal services and representation for diverse groups at employment tribunals.
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Determining priorities on equalities: this can include aims and targets for equality issues such as action to recruit new women, black, disabled and lesbian and gay members.
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Monitoring Trade Unionmembership of diverse groups, including women, minority ethnic and disabled members through statistical records.
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Employment/ Election of equality officers with specific responsibilities to deliver on equality issues at National level, Regional level and Branch level.
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Representative structures for diverse groups through equality committees /bodies for disabled, ethnic minority and women members.
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The Union as an employer: implementing equal opportunities policies and training for union employees and monitoring union employees for diversity. Ensuring that unions employ and monitor a diverse range of employees.
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Union or union-supported education and training for equality issues. This includes monitoring participants for training, taking steps to encourage diverse groups to attend union training by running seminars for minority ethnic, women and disabled people, and ensuring that their courses are accessible to women through childcare facilities, disabled access and dietary consideration for religious groups or minority ethnic groups.
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Providing Equality or diversity awareness training for Trade Union reps and officials.
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Publicity material/publications: taking steps that union publicity and communications indicate diversity of membership by being accessible for people with visual/hearing disabilities and are translated in different languages.
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Campaigning activity: Being involved in equality campaigning on issues such as race hatred and xenophobia, disability, work-life balance and Civil rights issues.