lgbti workers

Michele Kessler, chair of the CGU LGBTI Committee, welcomed the panellists and reaffirmed the Global Unions commitment to building respect and dignity for all workers while stepping up for LGBTI workers across the world. She emphasised the significance of the European Trade Union Movement's strong solidarity with Budapest Pride in standing up against the authoritarian banning of the event.

"The message that LGBTI rights are trade union rights was inspirational as word of 200,000 people marching for LGBTI rights spread across the world".

The discussion kicked off with Meredith Peace, from the Victoria branch of the Australian Education Union (AEU), whose LGBTI work is vital as it involves advocating on behalf of its members and LGBTI students. “We are facing increased hostility against inclusive education from far-right, conservative and religious groups, which are pushing to have an impact on the working conditions of our members and in the learning of our children”.

Despite the pushback attempts, Peace highlighted two recent important victories at federal level: expanding parental leave’ entitlements to any kind of family and any kind of parenting, and implementing a specific curriculum supporting LGBTI students in all public secondary schools. “Having a constructive and inclusive environment in schools is positive for supporting students and union members,” she concluded.

Sandro Gallittu, from the new rights office of the Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL), explains that their focus is on the secularity of the state and the people’s right to self-determination. “The far-right government in Italy has worsened the situation of LGBTI people,” stated Gallittu.

“In this specific historical moment, the extreme and neofascist right is taking part in Italy, and many parts in the world, in actively rolling back on hard-won rights, making the fight against LGBTI rights one of its central watch wars.”

He warned that not only the rights of gay, lesbian and trans community are under attack, but all sexual and reproductive rights, as new fascism is openly confronting the people’s right to self determination.

From South Africa joined Slomo Cele, a member of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) which promotes diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and trade unions. Cele noted that despite the country’s progressive legal framework, LGBTI workers still face harassment and violence in the workplace. “And this requires trade unions to intervene”. In 2022, COSATU’s Congress recognised that there was an urgent need to develop a strategy to combat homophobia and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. 

Among their most successful strategies are organising workshops to educate union leaders about LGBTI rights and the importance of a workplace free from discrimination and harassment. “One of our current battles is educating union leaders and teachers on LGBTI rights, and making sure that LGBTI workers are represented in managerial positions. Unfortunately, it is still difficult for them to get a promotion”.

Naomi J Wilson, from Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) in the United States, denounced Starbucks’ hypocritical strategy of ‘pinkwashing’.

“I’m a very proud US black trans woman from the deep South [...] and one of the victims of Starbucks’ ‘pinkwashing’ strategy. As a very visible trans woman, I started working there because of a policy they had. However, when the far-right party started to gain leverage, they let us down. The impact of them pulling back on these progressive policies was dramatic for many workers, directly affecting our livelihoods, but it also pushed us to organise and form unions.”

The story of SBWU is an inspiring and rare one. In August 2021, a store in the city of Buffalo, in the state of New York, was the first to win their union and, four years later, there are over 600 union stores and 12,000 union members in the US. 

“We’ve learnt that we have power together and we can actively fight for the things that make us all safe. Our union understands the core of protecting marginalised people and the fact that it really strengthens the movement: when you include and support us, you too become stronger.”

Wilson ended with a call that prompted several assistants to nod in agreement: “We want progressive parties that genuinely understand that they need queer people — because they need us to win.” 

Claire Trevor, from the CGU LGBTI committee and the moderator of the webinar, praised the speakers for demonstrating the power of global solidarity and how union work can really make a difference. 

In a world that is increasingly hostile to LGBTI people, international solidarity and union power are a frontline defense against the anti-LGBTI agenda of the far right. 

“We won’t give up the fight,” she concluded.