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The Labour movement sidelines women all the time The Labour movement sidelines women all the time
(6 days later)
The irony of Jeremy Corbyn’s domination of the Labour leadership election is that it wouldn’t have happened if the left of the party had not been perceived as such a lost cause. It was this that emboldened the parliamentary party to believe he could be trotted out as a token candidate, to offer a token debate. But, more importantly, it was this – not the desire for “left unity” – that ensured there was only one socialist candidate. This article is the subject of a complaint from Dave Prentis
The public service trade union, Unison, also had hopes of fielding a left-unity candidate in the upcoming election of its general secretary, to oust Dave Prentis, who is seen as a Blairite. But these hopes ran into the usual problem: all of the factions wanted their candidate to be the left-unity candidate. The irony of Jeremy Corbyn’s domination of the Labour leadership election is that it wouldn’t have happened if the left of the party had not been perceived as such a lost cause. It was this that emboldened the parliamentary party to believe he could be trotted out as a token candidate, to offer a token debate. But, more importantly, it was this – not the desire for “left unity” – that ensured there was only one socialist candidate.
The public service trade union, Unison, also had hopes of fielding a left-unity candidate in the upcoming election of its general secretary, to oust Dave Prentis, who is seen as a Blairite. But these hopes ran into the usual problem: all of the factions wanted their candidate to be the left-unity candidate.
So, Labour wanted Paul Holmes; the Socialist party wanted Roger Bannister; and Socialist Workers’ party wanted Karen Reissmann. Bannister is the only one of these three to have actually been nominated, it’s true. But several other candidates to the left of Prentis have also emerged: John Burgess, Hayley Garner and Heather Wakefield (below). Leadership elections are one of those situations in which four against one is not a good thing. Prentis must be thrilled.So, Labour wanted Paul Holmes; the Socialist party wanted Roger Bannister; and Socialist Workers’ party wanted Karen Reissmann. Bannister is the only one of these three to have actually been nominated, it’s true. But several other candidates to the left of Prentis have also emerged: John Burgess, Hayley Garner and Heather Wakefield (below). Leadership elections are one of those situations in which four against one is not a good thing. Prentis must be thrilled.
That the left is in thrall to the narcissism of small differences has been a famous joke for decades now, thanks to Monty Python’s The Life of Brian. And yet still they never learn. Corbyn emerged as Labour’s left-unity candidate by luck rather than judgment, and voters have appreciated the situation greatly. Unison voters aren’t so fortunate. That the left is in thrall to the narcissism of small differences has been a famous joke for decades now, thanks to Monty Python’s The Life of Brian. And yet still they never learn. Corbyn emerged as Labour’s left-unity candidate by luck rather than judgment, and voters have appreciated the situation greatly. Unison voters aren’t so fortunate.
Dave Prentis was Unison’s deputy general secretary from the time of its formation, in 1993, and has been general secretary since 2000. It’s assumed he will win again, despite all these people being so keen to see him gone. This casual observer, I’m afraid, is unable to see the never-ending attraction, either. Dave Prentis was Unison’s deputy general secretary from the time of its formation, in 1993, and has been general secretary since 2000. It’s assumed he will win again, despite all these people being so keen to see him gone. This casual observer, I’m afraid, is unable to see the never-ending attraction, either.
Considering that even before austerity bit, Unison’s 76%-female membership was already subject to systemic gender pay and conditions discrimination, and considering that during austerity, public sector workers have been hit extremely hard, Unison has hardly been a shining beacon of intelligent resistance. Indeed, the number of people leaving is increasing, and the number joining is falling. It’s hard to find a measure by which Prentis’s leadership could be considered a success. Considering that even before austerity bit, Unison’s 76%-female membership was already subject to systemic gender pay and conditions discrimination, and considering that during austerity, public sector workers have been hit extremely hard, Unison has hardly been a shining beacon of intelligent resistance. Indeed, the number of people leaving is increasing, and the number joining is falling. It’s hard to find a measure by which Prentis’s leadership could be considered a success.
You’d imagine that the left might be troubled by the fact that the upper echelons of an organisation whose membership is three-quarters women continues to be dominated by men. But it doesn’t seem to bother Prentis. It’s par for the course, anyway. The other two of the big three unions are led by men, too – with Len McCluskey heading Unite and Paul Kenny king of the GMB. You’d imagine that the left might be troubled by the fact that the upper echelons of an organisation whose membership is three-quarters women continues to be dominated by men. But it doesn’t seem to bother Prentis. It’s par for the course, anyway. The other two of the big three unions are led by men, too – with Len McCluskey heading Unite and Paul Kenny king of the GMB.
Corbyn’s sudden rise, of course, has put a dent in Labour’s hopes of having a female leader for the first time. But surely it’s time to ask whether Labour’s problem with female leaders is connected to the union movement’s problem with female leaders. Corbyn’s sudden rise, of course, has put a dent in Labour’s hopes of having a female leader for the first time. But surely it’s time to ask whether Labour’s problem with female leaders is connected to the union movement’s problem with female leaders.
Unison’s general secretary election does have a credible female candidate. Wakefield is the challenger who has advanced furthest in Unison’s hierarchy, as head of the local government, police and justice section. (The other candidates are all branch secretaries.) Wakefield has long experience and understands very well the problems facing Unison members. However, far from being a protege of Prentis, she and he are widely known to be at odds. Unison’s general secretary election does have a credible female candidate. Wakefield is the challenger who has advanced furthest in Unison’s hierarchy, as head of the local government, police and justice section. (The other candidates are all branch secretaries.) Wakefield has long experience and understands very well the problems facing Unison members. However, far from being a protege of Prentis, she and he are widely known to be at odds.
The blog Trouble in Unison says Wakefield was blamed for a Unison climbdown in a pay dispute last year, even though she was excluded from key negotiations. It also claims that Prentis has been known to tell Wakefield across an open-plan office that she is “finished”, and to criticise her for focusing on “divisive” gender issues. It all sounds quite Made in Dagenham. She says Prentis has criticised her for focusing on “divisive” gender issues. It all sounds quite Made in Dagenham.
Sexism in trade unions in nothing new, but the Labour movement should be troubled more by this sort of chauvinism than it is. The career trajectory of one Carol Fox should be of note. Fox trained as a social worker, then became a union official, working at Unison and also Nupe and NASUWT. She hoped to stand as a Labour MP, and did stand for the Scottish parliament several times, but never under the auspicious circumstances favoured candidates can expect. Sexism in trade unions in nothing new, but the Labour movement should be troubled more by this sort of chauvinism than it is. The career trajectory of one Carol Fox should be of note. Fox trained as a social worker, then became a union official, working at Unison and also Nupe and NASUWT. She hoped to stand as a Labour MP, and did stand for the Scottish parliament several times, but never under the auspicious circumstances favoured candidates can expect.
Fox, too, was told that she was always going on about divisive gender issues, and eventually became so frustrated that she trained as a lawyer, starting her own firm, Fox and Partners. She has since won important gender-discrimination cases in Scotland against local government – and lots of them.Fox, too, was told that she was always going on about divisive gender issues, and eventually became so frustrated that she trained as a lawyer, starting her own firm, Fox and Partners. She has since won important gender-discrimination cases in Scotland against local government – and lots of them.
Fox left Labour and now supports the SNP, having become thoroughly fed up with trying to fight her battles within Labour and the union movement. It’s pretty remarkable that Fox helps women far more by working for herself than she did as a union official and Labour activist. If Labour imagines it can afford to squander the talents of women like Fox – and Wakefield – then it’s very wrong.Fox left Labour and now supports the SNP, having become thoroughly fed up with trying to fight her battles within Labour and the union movement. It’s pretty remarkable that Fox helps women far more by working for herself than she did as a union official and Labour activist. If Labour imagines it can afford to squander the talents of women like Fox – and Wakefield – then it’s very wrong.
Like a lot of people, I don’t much warm to the slogan: “Vote for me. I’m female.” I’ll be more than happy to dismiss gender issues as “divisive” when equality, or some semblance of it, has been achieved. But right now, when I hear a man warning that gender issues are divisive, I hear a man saying that he isn’t interested in pursuing injustices and unfairnesses when they are injustices and unfairnesses from which he benefits. Like a lot of people, I don’t much warm to the slogan: “Vote for me. I’m female.” I’ll be more than happy to dismiss gender issues as “divisive” when equality, or some semblance of it, has been achieved. But right now, when I hear a man warning that gender issues are divisive, I hear a man saying that he isn’t interested in pursuing injustices and unfairnesses when they are injustices and unfairnesses from which he benefits.
The left may enjoy the idea that Jeremy Corbyn is its saviour. Hopefully, it will learn in time that far, far more systemic problems need fixing than one man – or woman – could ever mend. The left may enjoy the idea that Jeremy Corbyn is its saviour. Hopefully, it will learn in time that far, far more systemic problems need fixing than one man – or woman – could ever mend.