ABSTRACT
The unions offer some interesting comparisons in their differences. Most obvious are size, sector and the male/female balance in membership. While almost threequarters of UNISON’s members are women, in the GPMU women make up only 17 per cent of the membership, thus offering limited scope for women to have a substantial impact on the union. As might be expected, it is evident that UNISON’s approach to equality is radical, even offering a transformational agenda (Cockburn 1991), while the GPMU can be seen to have adopted a liberal or short agenda approach to developing equal opportunities within the union. Both unions are seeking change in order to close a democracy gap, primarily focusing on women as the engine for transformation – an aim of UNISON’s constitution and of many of its women activists. The GPMU’s aim is more modest; to change from a union dominated by white middle-aged men to one where women and young members are more central.
