Unions are leading the change for equality, making it a central focus in collective bargaining

At the heart of the trade union movement is the drive to dismantle all forms of discrimination and secure equality for all. That’s why, every two years, we publish the TUC Equality Audit, reaffirming our commitment to creating a fairer future.

This started in 2001, when Congress delegates passed a new TUC rule making commitment to equality a condition of TUC affiliation. The rule stipulated that every union must commit to eliminating discrimination, not just within their own structures, but through all their activities—employment practices included. This bold move was amplified by the Stephen Lawrence Taskforce, which introduced the equality audit, a mechanism to track this rule and how deeply equality is woven into union culture.

Published every two years, the audit alternates between looking at equality and collective bargaining and equality in union representation and participation. The 2024 edition looks at collective bargaining, offering a snapshot of how unions have equipped negotiators with training, guidance, and support to fight for equality over the last four years and what victories members have secured in workplaces nationwide.

The findings from 2024 are a reflection of a challenging environment. The pandemic, cost-of-living crisis, and political hostility toward marginalised groups have all made bargaining more difficult. In fact, four out of ten reps reported that it has got harder to get employers to address equality issues. Yet, despite this, the audit offers a wealth of success stories.

What did we discover? Unions are providing an array of guidance, briefing materials, and training across a wide range of equality issues.

The audit shows increases in the percentage of unions offering guidance for Black workers, disabled workers, women, parents, and carers. For example, the percentage of unions offering guidance on issues affecting disabled workers rose from 44 per cent to 56 per cent, while guidance for Black workers increased from 39 per cent to 51 per cent.

Many unions also reported updating or introducing training on sexual harassment; a pressing issue, given that three in five women experience it at work. Among smaller unions, this topic is now the most common training provided to officers and reps, underscoring its importance.

Successes in negotiation. Despite the obstacles, members across the country continue to win. The audit reveals that 51% of unions have secured pay-related victories, 47% have made gains in flexible working, and there’s been a marked rise in wins for women workers, now standing at 51%. Notable achievements include victories in areas such as menopause support, pregnancy loss policies, domestic abuse protections, and enhanced maternity pay and leave.

Anti-Racism work. For the first time, new questions about union efforts to promote race equality through collective bargaining were added reflecting the commitments made by the TUC's Anti-Racism Taskforce. 30 per cent of unions reported wins specifically related to Black workers, while 30 per cent of reps indicated they had dealt with issues related to race. Pay emerged as a top bargaining priority for Black workers, with many unions achieving successes from bringing outsourced workers in-house and scrapping discriminatory pay structures.

Challenges to tackle. While progress has been made, the audit underscores that there is still plenty of work. With only 30 per cent of unions reporting wins for Black workers, the focus on anti-racism and race equality in bargaining remains vital moving forward.

Additionally, while there have been advances in training and guidance, areas such as religion and belief, younger and older workers, and migrant workers remain under-addressed. Less than a third of unions offer guidance in these areas.

Reps also identified gaps in guidance on flexible working/work-life balance, and reasonable adjustments for disabled workers. These were also areas that reps told us they encounter most often in their workplaces.

For the first time, this year’s audit asked reps about the equality-related policies present in their workplaces. The majority of reps (67 per cent) reported clear bullying and harassment reporting routes, 60 per cent said their workplace had agreements on flexible working, and 52 per cent noted the presence of equality reps. However, when it came to equality monitoring of workplace practices, for example in disciplinary and grievance procedures, a concerning number of reps said their employers either did not collect data or that they simply didn’t know. This kind of data can be a powerful tool in exposing institutional discrimination, and equipping reps to use it will be key to advancing equality in the workplace.

Our audit proves that diverse and inclusive unions can drive change for millions of workers. We hope the findings inspire union members, reps, and officers to continue fighting for equality and justice in every corner of the workplace.

The TUC would like to thank LRD for the analysis and production of the audit report.  

Read the TUC Equality Audit 2024