Unions serious about womens participation

Unions are serious about wanting to increase women's participation in the trade union movement, CTU Secretary Carol Beaumont said today.

The Human Rights Commission today released their second Census of Women's Participation in Governance and Professional Life, which this year included trade unions.

"While New Zealand women do have strong levels of union membership and are well represented on delegates structures, we want to also ensure that they are well represented in the decision making and leadership positions," said Carol Beaumont.

"The census on women's participation was a valuable tool for the CTU Women's Council," said Carol Beaumont. "Our goal in participating in this research was to increase the involvement of women in all levels of the union movement, and the results will allow the Women's Council to more effectively work with unions to raise gender issues around governance," said Carol Beaumont.

"Unions are campaigning and organising around a number of issues facing working women, including low pay, childcare, fair workloads, parental leave, and health and safety and equity of opportunity.

"These are all issues for women and these are issue for unions," said Carol Beaumont.

"The CTU is part of a global campaign, through the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions to increase the participation of women in unions and in leadership positions. It is a challenge that the union movement in New Zealand has embraced and one that we are proud of," said Carol Beaumont.