ABSTRACT
A growing number of unions around the world have assumed a role in combating discrimination based on sexual orientation (Hunt 1999a). Labour movements in countries such as Australia, Canada, Britain, the Netherlands and Germany now take sexual orientation issues seriously and have supported lesbian and gay rights through such things as collective bargaining initiatives, support for legal challenges, and lobbying governments for legislative change. Although labour’s commitment to sexual diversity issues is uneven – still limited to a few developed countries and tending to be stronger among public sector unions – shifts towards more inclusive policies and strategies have been impressive.
