ABSTRACT
Women in trade unions must deal with the ‘sexual politics’1 that are central to all social institutions, including the trade union movement. ‘Sexual politics’ includes the complex gender relationships of power as domination, resistance, alliances and pleasures. It has been central to women’s historic struggle to become members of trade unions, to gain access to the full range of occupations and to win equal work conditions (D’Aprano 1995; Mumford 1989). However, sexual politics has been largely invisible in union discourses and practices. The effect is that men’s sexuality and their gender (difference) can be disregarded, and their dominance of the trade union movement, numerically, culturally and hierarchically is largely ignored. Women and women’s interests, by contrast, are perceived as entirely gendered and women have long had to fight to gain recognition of their interests, to win leadership positions and to influence policy. It is men’s hostility and resistance that confirm that sexual politics is at stake.
