Fiona Colgan

Equality and diversity policies and practices at work: lesbian, gay and bisexual workers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify organisational good practice concerning equality, diversity and sexual orientation and consider the impact of the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003.Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs in‐depth interviews and a short survey with 154 lesbian, gay and bisexual people (LGB) and 60 interviews with management, trade union and LGB group representatives within 16 “good practice” case study organisations.Findings – Before the introduction of the (SO) Regulations (2003), progress concerning equality, diversity and sexual orientation was made based on social justice and/or business case arguments. The research shows that an inclusive organisational response can benefit both LGB employees and their employers. However, an “implementation gap” between equality/diversity policy and practice on sexual orientation was identified. The introduction of the law as a further driver to equality action in the sexual orientation area has been p...

Diversity, Identities and Strategies of Women Trade Union Activists

Diversity among women trade union activists is explored with reference to feminism and the womens movement, and the social and civil rights movements of black, disabled and lesbian and gay groups. Relationships between this diversity and womens individual and group identities and priorities are traced through some of the womens own descriptions and reflections on their trade union activism. These are drawn from our research with the public service union UNISON, in particular, two questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interviews. We draw on theories of social identity, the relations of out-group status and gender group consciousness to help to understand and explain the complexity of the social interactions involved. This frames our central analysis of the role of self-organization in the union in the construction of womens identities and consciousnesses, and the potential of self-organization as a site for collective action leading to organizational challenge, change and transformation.

Gender and diversity

Among trade unions, women, black, disabled and lesbian and gay members are increasingly recognised as significant in the drive for increases in membership. In turn, unions have come under mounting pressure from these constituencies to ensure that their interests and concerns are represented within the union and at the bargaining table. The challenge is how to reformulate notions and practices of trade union democracy to recognise that membership is increasingly diverse and diversely politicised. Here we examine how traditional approaches to trade union democracy have been revised following demands for gender democracy and the need to reflect membership diversity, and consider whether such strategies are sufficient. We do so by drawing on research with two unions; the print union, the GPMU, a private sector industrial union where women make up only 17 per cent of the membership, and the public service union UNISON, where women are three‐quarters of the members.

Sisters organising — women and their trade unions

Women make up almost half of the British workforce. Yet only one-third of trade union2 members are women, and within their unions women rarely reach the top; in 1994 there were four female general secretaries. Throughout the 1980s there were never more than five unions led by a woman, and in only a third were women represented on national executive bodies in proportion to their membership.

Lesbian, gay and bisexual workers: equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace

Purpose – Aims to present a report of a conference held at London Metropolitan University in June 2006 that presented and discussed the findings of a two‐year research project, funded by the Higher Education European Social Fund. The project investigated the experiences of LGB workers following the introduction of the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulation 2003 in the United Kingdom.Design/methodology/approach – The research was a qualitative study carried out in 16 case study organisations, seen as representing “good practice” in the area of employment of LGB workers. The case studies involved: the analysis of company documentation and reports; interviews with 60 management, trade union and LGBT network group representatives, a short survey and in‐depth interviews with 154 LGB employees. The case studies were supplemented by a series of 25 national key informant interviews with individuals in UK organisations representing government, employers, employees, and LGB people charged with dissemin...

Visibility and Voice in Organisations: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Employee Networks

Purpose – The paper aims to focus on the activism of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people and their allies within work organisations. Specifically, it explores whether LGBT trade union groups and company employee network groups provide mechanisms for visibility, voice and activism for LGBT employees within UK organisations.Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on in‐depth interviews with 149 LGB employees within 14 UK case study organisations. These took place within four local authorities, three fire and emergency services, two national voluntary sector organisations and five private sector organisations between 2004‐2006. In addition, 55 in‐depth interviews with management, trade union and LGBT company employee network group representatives within the organisations plus analysis of company and trade union web sites and publications provided information on organisation policy and practice. Interviews were conducted using a semi‐structured interview schedule and the data coll...

Race Equality Policies at Work: Employee Perceptions of the ‘Implementation Gap’ in a UK Local Authority

This article examines employee perceptions of the implementation of a local authority race equality plan in the United Kingdom. It explores the way in which the changed landscape of local authorities in the 1990s affected the implementation of race equality policies. We seek to shed light on black and ethnic minority people’s experiences of their treatment within organizations in the context of the appearance of ‘institutional racism’ on the UK public agenda. We do so whilst recognizing the complex interplay of race and gender in perceptions and experiences of organizational inequalities. The analysis focuses on employee perceptions of the culture of the authority and of the performance, ownership and efficacy of the race equality plan. The article highlights the importance of exploring and understanding workforce perceptions of equal opportunities policies.

Recognising the lesbian and gay constituency in UK trade unions: moving forward in UNISON?

Recent research on trade union democracy has drawn attention to the heterogeneity of union membership and the social processes within unions which can lead to the inclusion or exclusion of specific constituencies within union structures. This article draws on a case study of lesbian and gay self organisation in UNISON to illustrate the value of developing democratic structures to reflect this constituency and improve trade union representation and participation.

Lesbian workers: personal strategies amid changing organisational responses to 'sexual minorities' in UK workplaces.

Abstract This article reports emerging findings from a qualitative research study about lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people at work in the UK. The research focuses on the personal experiences and strategies of LGB people amidst changing organisational responses to sexuality within a new legal and political landscape following the introduction of the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003. The article draws specifically on the perceptions of lesbian respondents about a range of issues concerning social inclusion and exclusion in the workplace including coming out at work, treatment by managers and colleagues, workplace and organisational culture and participation in LGBT groups and networks. doi:10.1080/10894160802174284

Equality, diversity and corporate responsibility

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the triggers to the development of sexual orientation diversity policy and practice in the UK private sector, based on the perspectives of those “championing” sexual orientation diversity work.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on 22 in‐depth key informant interviews which can be broken down as follows: diversity specialists (5), management (6, of whom 3 were sexual orientation senior management “champions” in their organisations), trade union (3) and LGBT network group representatives (8), as well as access to company and trade union web sites and publications. Interviews sought to trace the history of sexual orientation equality and diversity work, development of structures, policies and practices as well as triggers and barriers to progress and areas of innovation.Findings – Recent literature on equality and diversity in the British national context has sought to explore the implications of a social justice versus a business case driven eq...