The proportion of women working in trade unions is now 29.3% compared to 29.4% of men, say official statistics from the Labour Force Survey.
The findings were revealed at yesterday’s Trades Union Congress (TUC) Women’s Conference in Scarborough.
The figures are further evidence of a narrowing gap down from the 3.7% figure reported in 1997. Today the statistic is just 0.1%.
Women have closed the trade union membership gender gap, according to a report to be presented to the TUC Women’s Conference which opens later today (Wednesday) in Scarborough.
According to the report, women’s membership has grown from 312,000 in 1997 to 3,475,000 because younger women are more likely to join unions than are men.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber, addressing the conference said: “Unions have quietly closed the gender gap amongst their members and put the concerns of working women such as equal pay, childcare and flexible working high on our campaign agenda.
“Given that many women work part time – a group that unions have always found hard to recruit – this is an impressive achievement. But there is no room for complacency. Recruitment will become more difficult with likely changes in the job market, and we must always beware of promoting an overly male and macho image to potential members.”
The report argues that unions are good for women. It cites research that shows that unionised workplaces are more likely than non-union workplaces to have equal opportunity policies, offer access to parental leave, provide financial help with childcare, monitor promotions, and pay women more.
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