Challenges within Ethnic Minorities - Essay Example

?Introduction Most women and ethnic minorities in the European Union are faced with different challenges. A significant gap in the outcome of the labor markets exists between the minority and the majority in the society. The ethnic minorities have encountered disproportional challenges in the job market. When they get jobs, they find it difficult to maintain. In response, trade unions were established to champion the rights of workers in the work place. It is expected that members who join trade unions would have their terms of employment and working conditions improved. Workers who suffered most were those working in manufacturing sectors as laborers and women in general. Therefore, majority of trade union members were working in the manufacturing industry. The structures and policies of the early trade unions favored the male gender. Women and minority groups were not adequately represented in trade unions and they continued languishing in adverse working terms and conditions. Most trade unions realised holes in their existing structures. As a result, concrete measures were taken to increase participation of both women and minority ethnic groups in the trade unions to rectify the situation. Furthermore, women in leadership positions in trade unions were allowed to develop own solutions to problems facing them. This led to influx of women populace and ethnic minority groups into the trade unions. Consequently, trade unions survived when majority of men were exiting them as more women and members from minority groups joined the unions in large numbers. Ways that women and minority groups were able to transform trade unions and increased their bargaining power First, women sought to transform the unions through the utilization of safe space (Kirton and Healy 2004). Safe space refers to conditions that lock out men and give women chances to benefit. For example, in 1970’s there was women-only education. Women-only education allowed women to study specific courses in specific learning institutions that did not allow male population. In their own separate space where there are no men, women focused on strengthening their confidence while exploring and defining their needs in a collective manner. This way, women were protected from men’s competition and were given room to empower themselves. Through safe space, women interacted freely without the interruption of the patriarchal relations constraints. Consequently, through a safe space, women contributed freely and willingly to matters and issues that affected them in all spheres of life, especially relating to working conditions. In addition, they supported and motivated each other to take risks and handle mistakes and expressed emotions boldly. Secondly, women sought to transform unions through activism. Female activism revived consciousness in the work place. According to Cockburn (1991), feminism had a significant influence on the activism of the women in the trade union. It also influenced union agendas and challenged existing structures. Women leaders at trade unions used their leadership power and influence to discuss and bargain for more positions in trade unions. They were able to bring transformation to increase the number of trade union women leaders. Through this, the policy priorities, agendas, and bargaining power were adjusted to improve entire working environment for women and minority groups. Furthermore, values of women in the union were considered and reflected. As a result, more and more women joined trade unions. Even though feminist and non-feminist bargainers portrayed characteristics similar to that of male bargainers, feminist philosophy empathized more with women and ethnic minorities. Thirdly, women who held positions in the trade unions worked hard to prevent women from leaving trade unions. The women officials recruited women as members and supported women activism. Senior women in the trade unions played an active role in the survival and revival of trade unions. They maximized the available opportunity to ensure the women were well represented. They were keen to take steps to correct and address the existing imbalances in the trade unions. In considering proportionality and the reserved seats, they followed up to ensure that more and more women were given the opportunity to participate. Senior women in trade union used their position and power to influence various structures of decision-making and the national policy. They were greatly involved in decision making within the union concerning different issues affecting them in the work place. They participated in establishing trade union policies that brought transformative changes and the appropriate union culture that promoted women’s welfare. They also increased the bargaining power of women in the trade unions. Furthermore, Because of hard work exhibited by the women in trade unions, women maintained their membership as most women chose to remain as trade union members at a time when men were leaving in droves. The gender gap which was wider initially but became narrow because there was increased proportion of women in trade unions as compared to the past years. In 1990, the gender gap between men and women declined from 11 percent to 5 percent an indication that more women were joining the trade unions. Currently, out of the total number of union members 40 percent are women (Kirton and Healy 1999). There has been a wide scale recruitment drive to attract increased number of women into the trade unions. Women in trade unions took the recruitment of other women to trade unions a priority. When the number of women increased in the trade unions, women’s bargaining power also improved significantly. Improvement of the bargaining power of MSF women was highly welcome because it promoted women’s welfare in the work place. As more women were recruited to trade unions, rights of working women were improved and the degree of their marginalization reduced significantly. Consequently, roles of women became visible in their work places and the trade unions. This is because women who were officials in trade unions understood various issues affecting them well and they were able to articulate them effectively. This was possible through different gendered experiences that they encountered in life. For example, most women had faced discrimination and harassment earlier. Consequently, they vividly understood what other women were experiencing and were able to raise consciousness among them. Group’s solidarity was slowly attained through gender consciousness, which inspired many women to join union activism. Fourth, women also created awareness of existence of education and trade unionism among the women populations. This ensured that most women accessed available education. New women activists were encouraged and supported through provision of different educational events. Events consisted of the Women’s Week, and Weekend Schools that were set aside purposely for women. Most of these events took place at the Union college located at Hertfordshire. Women were also committed in promoting these events. This was done in ‘MSF Women Today,’ a newsletter that was becoming popular among women. Through the Women School, several women were motivated towards activism; among these were two women who were NEC members. The two women later shared their experiences among other women and became role models to several women. Minorities also transformed the trade unions using various strategies. First, Ethnic minority activists have sought help from informal in-work communities, anti-racist organizations, external community-based and faith-based groups as well as national charities and trade union organisations. Through this, the minorities got support and guidance on different issues concerning the trade unions. The activists were keen to ensure that the minorities were adequately represented in all levels at the work place. This way, they were able to contribute to policies being enacted for their improvement. Secondly, the minority have maintained their membership in the union. During the period between 1993 -2000, the membership of the minority groups increased by 5 per cent, while the membership of the majority groups decreased by 15 per cent. Third, Minority groups came up with what is known as ethnic niche (Bradley and Healy 2008). They had to create their own occupations by grouping themselves in certain locations. Through this, they could earn a living. In the minority niche, most individuals were skilled elite who focused on trading their high skills in different markets worldwide. The individuals were computer experts, engineers, technical experts, medical personnel, financial specialists, different executives, and entrepreneurs. Through this, the minority groups were able to secure jobs in different multinational companies in the world. Fourth, the minority groups formed committees known as national black workers. The committee created appropriate structures at the national level for the black workers. The committees representing these groups came up with a charter. The charter enabled them to state clearly their demands as individuals. They demanded to be recognized and supported. They also raised the need for their culture and the whole group at large to be respected. Furthermore, they demanded to be authorized to speak for themselves and emphasized on the need to be supported in developing their own personal skills for them to be able to make appropriate decisions. Finally, they asked to be respected as individuals and not to be treated as people who lack originality and individuality. The reaction of trade unions towards women and those from the minority groups The trade union also prioritized recruitment and retention of women and ethnic minority groups. Most trade unions realized that women were increasingly becoming pillars for its sustenance and growth. This was because more and more men were leaving the unions. In general, union membership declined sharply from 13 million up to seven million in 1970’s. Therefore, trade unions could not sit and watch members exit, instead, they offered opportunities that lured women into trade unions. In 1980, both labour and economic markets were restructured. During this period, manufacturing industries that were dominated by men contracted and the service sector got a rapid expansion. Luckily, the service sector had more women employees. Consequently, trade unions began focusing on services sectors as they sought for more women. The trade unions gave the women unwavering support (Healy and Kirton 2000). They adopted pro-women strategies and policies that attracted women into trade unions. Majority of the unions have explored different ways in which women’s participation can be improved. This has led to various strategies such as the positive action. The main objective is to ensure women get adequate representation in decision-making structures in the union. The trade union provided special courses for women called the women-only trade union courses (Kirton and Healy 2004). This was specifically aimed at empowering women to increase their participation in trade union activities. According to Briskin (1993), women-only education was best understood as a separate organization belonging to the women. This organization expanded in the late 1970s. This came up because of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in 1979, which emphasized women’s equality in the Trade Unions. During this period, the bridging women courses were founded by the TUC. Bridging courses covers preparation of gender consciousness, promotion of women participation and development of leadership skills. According to Bridgford and Stirling (2000), the education provided by the trade union was a major resource used in trade unionism building. As the union faced hard realities, the specialized trade union education provided for women acted as an important catalyst to sustain the stability and strength of trade unionism (Holford, 1993). According to Munro (1999), education encouraged individual women to associate themselves with the union. As a result, women became active in contributing towards various activities of the union and workplace activism was reinforced. The trade unions also provided a platform that enabled the women to contribute their ideas and make decisions in the trade union. This is because women input were necessary for trade union’s survival. As a result, more seats were reserved for women populace and women were allowed to develop and implement ideas on how they could recruit more women and ensure that they actively participated in issues that mattered most to them. Further, trade unions created a positive image in the eyes of women. It developed policies and strategies that supported the welfare of women. The initial state of trade unions did not favour most women and there was need to create a woman friendly image to remedy the situation. As a result, new environment focused on the values, concerns, and needs of women were addressed. In addition, women were fully involved in the different structures of decision-making. However, more needs to be done to improve the image of women. The actions for improvement include appointing more women to union positions for both the lay and paid officials to enhance the experience of women in trade unions. Trade unions have adopted the bargaining approach for the minority groups. Most trade unions have adjusted their bargaining agendas to include the different issues affecting the minority groups. They formulated appropriate strategies to increase empowerment of minority groups through learning and training. Trade unions have reached out to the leaders of the minority groups in the workplaces. In addressing various issues of the minority groups, the union considers the existing bargaining strategies and workplace to be the first part in the renewal strategy of the union. Trade unions are increasing membership of the minority groups in the unions. Through this, the minority groups are able to access employment rights. Trade unions also offer proper support to members of minority groups when they encounter problems at work. They assist the minority groups through improvement of their conditions and pay. The trade unions have remained committed to bridge the existing gap in pay between the minority and the majority. The minority also benefit from legal advice freely provided by the trade unions. Trade unions provide the minority groups with policies of equal opportunities. Unions have come up with several strategies on how to offer practical solutions to the minority groups. The major aim is to ensure the minorities are represented in an appropriate manner. Unions have also established ways of involving the minorities in the union structures at different levels. Trade unions are pushing for duty of equality among its members states (Bradley and Healy 2008). This has resulted in the legislation on anti-discrimination and new Equal Opportunities (EO) wealth. Trade union organizes meetings, workshops, and conferences for the minority groups. Through this, the minority groups were equipped with adequate information, which involved policy issues. In such meetings, the trade unions and the minority groups are able to hold discussions on various issues facing the minority groups. The minority groups also get an opportunity to raise their own suggestions and to ask different questions as they seek answers to challenges facing them. Through this, the minority groups acquire focus and direction on how to act. Conclusion Minority activists have been greatly involved in fighting for equality. They have had to involve informal in-work communities, anti-racist organizations, external community-based, faith-based groups, national charities, and trade union’s self-organization. Minorities have also been keen to maintain their membership in the union. They have witnessed dramatic increase in membership over the past years. The majority on the other hand, have faced membership decline. Women have been involved in different roles in transforming the existing trade unions. This was done through utilization of safe space, increasing their membership, gender activism and training among others. Ethnic minorities sought help from community based organisations, created ethic niche and formed national committees to transform trade unions. Finally, trade unions provided support and appropriate platform for minority groups and women to join and benefit from trade unions than before. Bibliography Bradley, & Healy, G 2008, Ethnicity and Gender at Work, Palgrave, Basingstoke. Bridgford, J,& Stirling, J 2000, Trade Union Education in Europe, ETUCO, Brussels. Briskin, L1993, Women Challenging Unions, University of Toronto Press, Toronto. Cockburn, C1991, In the Way of Women, Macmillan, London. Healy, G, & Kirton, G 2000, Women, Power and Trade Union Government in the UK, British Journal of Industrial Relations, 38, 3, pp 343-360 Holford, J1993, Trade Union Education: a TUC Activity, University of Nottingham Press, Nottingham. Kirton, G, & Healy, G 1999, Transforming union women: the role of women trade union officials in union renewal, Industrial Relations Journal, 30, 1, pp 31-45 Kirton, G, & Healy, G 2004, Shaping Union and Gender Identities: A Case Study of Women-Only Trade Union Courses, British Journal of Industrial Relations,42,2, pp. 303–323 Munro, A1999, Women, Work and Trade Unions, Mansell, London. Read More