Being LGBT+ at Work

People were generally very positive about the role of their unions.

Interviewees felt union leadership has the same responsibility as employers - to clearly set a culture of inclusivity from the top and quickly and effectively stamp out bigotry. 

Interviewees described unions as a place to meet other LGBT+ staff and, on the whole, very supportive allies to LGBT+ staff.  

“Sometimes we put too much emphasis on - we’re fighting for you. When you’re transitioning - sometimes the last thing you want is a fight. Sometimes you need to hear - we’re sitting alongside you. It’s not always a fight.”
Hugo, nuclear engineer

Unions offered to many people a chance to come out to a smaller and safer group of colleagues, before the whole workplace.  

Willingness to raise grievances 

There was some hesitancy amongst interviewees about whether some of the harms they experience in the workplace are genuine grievances, and a question over whether they’d get their union involved or not.

For example, most people who had been outed in the workplace (around a quarter of interviewees) didn’t think this was the basis for a legitimate complaint, and didn’t discuss it with union reps or with HR. Even those who had experienced quite significant discriminatory treatment were unwilling to involve their union - either because of a sense of not wanting the spotlight on them, or because they just didn’t believe the union would be able to achieve anything.  

“My wife and I have been waiting 3 years for a fertility appointment with the NHS. It's finally coming next month, but we're both going to be in Prague on set for a job. We can’t miss it, I don’t know how long it would take to get another.  I haven’t checked my contract or with the union for what we’re entitled to, no. There’s no way I’d make a formal request to protect the time off, or come in banging the union drum. We’ll just wait until nearer the time and then talk to our supervisor about making the time back. I know it sounds a bit crazy for something so important, but that’s just how our industry works - it’s all people and culture, it’s not about terms and conditions.”
Heather, costume designer in film industry

“I didn't really know anything about unions before I joined but someone told me to join. When that happened with my old manager, I didn't think there was much point talking to the union - I felt they wouldn't care or actually I felt like they wouldn't even know how to handle it. That was rather worrying - they don't really advertise very much awareness about gender identity issues. I didn't consider going to HR either.”
Billie, call centre

“I had a pretty positive experience coming out as trans in my workplace - I guess there was a bit of a question about how much sick leave I could take for my surgery. I didn’t really push. I could have asked the union for support actually - it didn’t really occur to me at the time. In hindsight, it might have been useful to have a rep sitting there with me in the meetings, picking up things you might forget. It's all so intense during that period.”
Hugo, nuclear engineer