Women Deserve a Trade Union That Stands Up for Them

Women fought for generations to secure equal pay, dignity, representation and a voice over their working conditions.

They deserve Trade Unions that actively defend those gains without hesitation.

UNISON’s response to NHS England’s single-sex guidance has prompted fierce criticism—and rightly so. In the statement shared by its General Secretary, Andrea Egan, the emphasis is placed on transgender people’s safety, dignity and privacy, alongside a commitment to campaign for legal change. Women’s concerns about their own privacy and sex-based protections receive no explicit acknowledgement.

That omission is inexcusable.

The Backlash Against UNISON's Single-Sex Policy

The commentator, firefighter and trade unionist Paul Embery condemned the position, accusing UNISON’s leadership of wanting to “trash their hard-won sex-based rights,” concluding that the stance was “utterly inexcusable.”

Sharron Davies, the Olympic swimmer and campaigner, issued an equally direct message: “Stop paying your subs ladies they have no intention of standing up for you.”

The Women’s Rights Network echoed these concerns, stating: “The Trade Unions have completely lost the plot.”

While that assessment holds true for many Labour Party-affiliated trade unions, it does not apply to the Workers of England Union, which actively supports, defends, and champions the rights of women in the workplace.

Prioritising Female Members Over Political Agendas

UNISON acknowledges that women constitute two-thirds of its membership. Those women deserve complete confidence that their concerns will be heard and their statutory protections defended.

Sharron Davies is right: if your union will not defend your interests, stop paying your subscriptions. Join an independent union that prioritises your rights—join the Workers of England Union.

The TUC and its affiliated unions must recognise that women’s trust cannot be taken for granted. Sidelining women's rights and ignoring the biological realities that underpin sex-based protections in law undermines decades of hard-fought workplace progress. Yet that is precisely what these politically affiliated trade unions continue to do, unrepentant in their neglect of female members' safety and privacy.

The Workers of England Union takes a different path. We have consistently published clear policy commitments on equal pay, childcare provision, work-life balance, and robust action against workplace discrimination. Furthermore, our dedicated menstrual health campaign calls for free period products in workplace toilets, sensible shift flexibility, properly trained managers, and fair absence policies. These are tangible, common-sense measures that directly improve women’s working lives.

A Clear Message from the General Secretary

Stephen Morris, General Secretary of the Workers of England Union, said:

“Trade Unions that sideline women’s concerns are failing their members and undermining women's rights. Women need better pay, better conditions, protection against discrimination, and proper employment understanding and support with menstrual health. Their rights must never become an embarrassment to the organisations taking their subscriptions.

“UNISON appears embarrassed that female workers want to be protected and feel safe when changing or using toilet facilities at work. Women have an absolute right to privacy and safety in single-sex spaces.

“The Workers of England Union is here to protect all our members' rights, including women’s sex-based rights at work. If your trade union will not defend your rights, refuses to listen to your concerns, or actively campaigns against your interests, leave that union today and join us.”

Choose Representation That Puts Women First

Your subscription fees should work for you, not against you. If UNISON or another politically affiliated trade union has lost your trust, make the switch today to a union that genuinely cares about your wellbeing, safety, and dignity at work.

Visit www.workersofengland.co.uk and join the Workers of England Union today.

References:

Paul Embery, statement via X
Sharron Davies MBE, statement via X;
Women’s Rights Network, statement via X;
Andrea Egan, General Secretary statement on NHS England guidance on single-sex spaces;
BBC News, reporting on UNISON leadership election;

UNISON, Women members group & Sex discrimination policy guidance;

Workers of England Union, 'Period Pain at Work: A Women’s Health Issue We Should No Longer Ignore', 21 September 2026.

Key Takeaways

• Backlash Over Single-Sex Guidance: UNISON faces severe criticism from unionists and women's advocates for failing to explicitly acknowledge women's privacy and sex-based rights in its NHS single-sex spaces statement.
• Female Majority Sidelined: Despite women representing two-thirds of UNISON's membership, legacy affiliated unions continue to subordinate sex-based protections to political agendas.
• Concrete Workplace Policies: The WEU delivers practical, member-focused support for women, including campaigns for equal pay, fair absence policies, flexible working, and free workplace period products.
• Defense of Single-Sex Facilities: The Workers of England Union affirms women's fundamental rights to dignity, safety, and privacy in dedicated single-sex spaces across English workplaces.