ETUC SURVEY: “Extending equality: Trade union actions to organise and promote equal rights, respect and dignity for workers regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity” 28 January 2008 Cinzia Sechi (ETUC)‏

Outline ▲ Background ▲ Context ▲ Trade unions’ policies, bodies, activities ▲ Good practices ▲ Main trends ▲ Recommendations for ETUC

▲ETUC Manifesto (Seville Congress, May 2007)‏ ▲EC Project adoption and financing (June 2007)‏ → Steering committee with unions' and ILGA-Europe representatives → Survey launched to ETUC members (Nov-Dec 2007)‏ → 44 trade union organisations replied from 21 EU countries Background

Sexual orientation is one of the non-discrimination grounds prohibited by EU law. In your opinion, how much awareness of non discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation is perceived in the following groups:

How easy or difficult is it to discuss discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation / gender identity:

▲ Half of trade unions responding have been active for more than 10 years ▲ Many unions aware of existing legislative framework ▲High awareness at unions' leadership level Observations regarding sexual orientation ▼ Sexual orientation not prompted into trade unions’ discrimination policies ▼ Prejudices, cultural and religious barriers still strong ▼ Not sufficiently trigged down to membership level PositiveNegative

▼ None recorded Observations regarding gender identity ▼ The issue of GI only came onto the trade union agenda several years after LGB issues. There remains much ignorance ▼ Concept not easily understood and sometimes confused with the notion of gender equality ▼ D ifficult for members to see need / points for action PositiveNegative

Policies

Bodies

Activities

Collective bargaining

▲ LGBT groups specifically dealing with LGBT issues ● Ver.di (DE), CGSLB (BE), ICTU (IE), ABVAKABO (NL), CCOO Ensenanza (ES), TUC, ASLEF (UK) ▲ Unions' Website pages on discriminations based on sexual orientation and gender identity ● UGT-P, UNISON (UK) ▲ LGBT newsletter, recruitment leaflets specifically for LGBT workers ● UNISON, ASLEF (UK), ABVAKABO (NL), VER.DI (DE) ▲ Putting in place a blog on LGBT issues ● CCOO Ensenanza (ES), ATL (UK) Some good practices

▲ Charter on diversity adopted in the bank sector; CGSLB diversity plan ● CGSLB (BE) ▲ Training on sexual orientation anti-discrimination legislation ● UATUC (HR), SAK (FI), UNISON, PROSPECT (UK), ABVAKABO (NL) ▲ Training to include LGBT issues into collective agreements ● LPSK (LT), UNISON (UK) ▲ Publications on anti-discrimination laws ● CITUB (BG), CGIL (IT) Some good practices

▼ Gaps between those unions that have a long time involvement in LGBT issues and those that have started recently; ▼ Most respondents from confederations not aware of their unions’ policies/activities on LGBT issues; ▼ Trade unions’ surveys on LGBT issues almost non- existent; ▼ Unions based in some “new” member states seems to be less active; ▲ The legal aspect of these discrimination on the upfront ▼ Less is being done on awareness raising; ▲ Some trade unions have developed a variety of instruments and tools to help workers in dealing with LGB issues; ▲ Unions most active on LGBT issues often show strong links with NGOs Trends that emerge from the questionnaire

▲ More help (information and training) on how to work as a trade union with these issues (ie produce an EU trade union guide on LGBT issues) ▲ Promote an exchange info & good practices among its members (websites, networks, campaigns, etc.) ▲ Be more active on these issues (lobby European Parliament, European Commission, national trade union leadership)‏ Support required from ETUC

THANK YOU