Women

Women in Unite

By continually campaigning, organising and representing the issues facing women, Unite through its members and activists is fighting for equal work, equal voice, equal pay and constantly challenging inequality and discrimination across society. Alongside campaigns such as Get ME Home Safely, Period dignity and Menopause awareness, Unite is part of a movement demanding:

• Equal pay and pensions justice
• Strong maternity and pregnancy protection
• Flexible working as a default in all jobs
• Recognition and support for women’s health and safety at work
• Stop precarious and insecure work
• End of violence and harassment against women

By joining Unite you too can get involved in achieving equality for the union's diverse women members.

National Women’s week course 6-11 August 2023, Birmingham

Women across Unite are invited to apply for this year’s summer women’s week event. Please see here for further details and how to register your interest. National Women’s Week is an education course which covers the diversity of Unite women members’, whom attend a positive learning environment to share experiences and views, listen to key speakers and learn more about issues facing women in the workplace, with the help of experienced women tutors who are also trade unionists. There will be four separate courses running, apply today as there will be a course to suit you!

• Course 1 - Understanding your Union and Getting Involved
• Course 2 - Women Organising in the Workplace
• Course 3 - Campaigning for Women in the Workplace
• Course 4 - Leadership Development for Unite Women

Please do not hesitate to contact your Regional Women’s and Equality Officer for more details. 

Comments from some delegates from last year’s course 

Jane from South East: “I cannot recommend this course enough. It was an amazing week and so empowering being with women activists all sharing their experiences. I left the week with so much more confidence … and life- long friends!”

Julie from North East and Humberside: “We walked in as individual women and walked out with raised voices, so those without a voice can be heard. Women cannot succeed if half of us are held back. Unite's women’s week should be a date in every Unites woman's calendar ... highly recommended.”

Can you help? | Research into low paid pregnant women and new mothers

Are you currently pregnant or have given birth since the start of 2019? Did you earn under £10.90 an hour during your pregnancy? Could you spare an hour of your time for a virtual interview with a researcher to explore your experiences of access to maternity protections like risk assessment and adjustments, and job protected maternity leave? Sharing your story can help university researchers better understand the experiences pregnant women face at work and support the national charity Maternity Action's work campaigning and lobbying government for better protections for pregnant women and new mothers at work.

Maternity Action and Queen Mary University London Business School are cooperating on a PhD research project to understand the experiences of low paid pregnant women and new mothers in the UK.  The research seeks to understand women’s experiences of pregnancy related health and safety as well as other statutory entitlements during maternity, as well as what women do, and where they seek support if and when things go wrong. Gabriella Stringer (Queen Mary PhD candidate) will be completing one hour interviews with 60 women, predominantly in retail, hospitality, cleaning, and social care. Please contact Unite Equalities if you are willing to take part.

Menopause at work | A key workplace issue

Unite is demanding employers understand their responsibilities and promote a menopause friendly  workplace. The aim is to raise awareness and support members through the network of workplace
reps to ensure employers address the issue of menopause and introduce and enforcement positive policies. Find our more on the Menopause at work | A key workplace issue campaign