The Gay Trade Unionist - Issue 7

Page 1

the

tra~de unioni st ns,.v gay trade unionists' group JULY/AUGUST 19'

----------------------------------

ISSI

0157• -\ .

• GayStHnkti•Giy W©a~1 1~11

Trie week was a buge success, despite mt:tteringB of trouble from the media anc. :Darlingf:ur~t police. unfortunately for GTUG, many members w:::re i~~volv'ed in the peaceful running of the marches so that ~oula not publicise the group. P.owever, a large contingent from the Australian R~ilways Union, the Australian Telephone and Phonog~am. Offi~ers• Association, and the Australian Clerical Officers r ,\ssoc.iation marched under the GTUG banner - a striking effort froM various !~U gayst

.I!£ inc·~crw

The Annual . General Meeting of the NSW Independent Teachers' Association, on April 28 declared the Associa'tion's opposition to anti-gay discrimination. · 11 The Association is to prepare a policy s-caterr.ent on the Association' is opposi.-tion to discrimination on the grounds of race, religio :., sex, sexuality, mari,;al status and political conviction. n

!~,i~!_b!!' ~r~:~ajor

Gr, ;up is o~in6 resurrecte~ again this a warm response to the icea at last ye?r's National Conference. Organisers hope the group will in the short term c J -ordinate isolated moves within the Labor .Party for ~ay rights , and in the long term achieve law reform for NSW gays.

year

after Homosexual

A meeting

of Labor Party members will be held at Solidar i iy Centre, 603 Kin ~ Street, St. Peters. Saturcay, ~5th August 1979 a~ ~. OO~m.

the Gay Solidarit

Mextr\)1eijri1a] Will be held pot C.M• :P 33ri Glebe Point SuY!day 19th August 1979 2.30pm.

Road,

GL.ii:BE.

Agenda will incluc.e discussion ~ of GTtJG's contribution to the ACSPA and 'tt.e ~th National Homosexual Conferences, a.r,d an assess.nen l, of tte 4tl' ' Aur.;ust Seminar. Final bill .etting arrangements will be made for the Melbourne Conferences.

y


TheArtof theBrush Off

Doing the roun ds of tte labur 8ouncil Building and tte Trarles Hall handing out a ~ress release advertising tte nCS~A National ~eeting on Forr.o:=;e:xual Workers ~asn 't been easy. Tbe g e!'1eral resr,or : f. has been to a efer a deci~ion on publication unti~ the next executive meeting. ':'hat decision wil :. "-<iefini tely be rr.ade neyt week''. Sorry not this week, next week ••••• how about~ month afte r the conference! There r.:.ave been the odd flat refusal. Odd es-: --~ 211 came from two .;-;CSPAaffiliates .=tural Bank Division of the Bank Officers' Assoc. and tte PSW Public Service Professional Officers' Association both rejectin g the press release wit~out seeine it. I also had the misfortune to confront an executive meeting of the Miners' Fed. as it was breaxing up. Tr;e press re:.ease was passed around for a bit of ligh~ relief. Rin gin~ ba c k I was told that the executive r.&d decioed that the "ccrresponcence be rejected". Tr.~ Teac~ eri::' .F'eceration, the Club Association were a1:.onr, t~e un ion, ; t.on:o ~exu al members seriouf!ly . 'I'::e ~e t ~ey tad ~reviouJly advertised rr.e:;.berf:tip, a nci t:-.e ·_,re:.:-:::,releace ·reacriers 1 ? ed€'rat i O!! jourr :al.

r--;anagers a~c the Confectioner~ whicr. t 0ok the issue of tr.eir Confectim:er._: ,.ssociation tole the rTtG 's existence to it F !'l,.:.s rece!'"tly a.d,earP.c' in t i,e

Wi11 _your union' s executive µub~icL;e tr:e ACSLA co !'lfi-rence ~· Ce,pies of t!'le press releas .e and other publicity rraterial and a list of union respon se s are on r.and if needect.

6c~?B!~~~~rs t~~!Av1~!~ii~aJ e!~e~!i,n9n~~' (The VTU is

on tram

PROGRAM: 9. 30 arr. 10. 00 an; - 11 • 30

11 . 45 ar.-, - 1 .OOpm 1 • OOpr.1 - ~. O:) prr:

~.OO pn: - 3.GO ,r. 3. OOor.: 4. OOprr.

4 • OOpm

envi:3a p:e(1 tr .at industry bas :.s . It

iR

30th August 5th National

people

route

No. 75)

- Registration and Coffee. Speakers (Bill Richardson to chair ) 1. Bill Richardson ?ederal Sec. ACSPA. Cpening of ~eeting and discussion of processes involv ed in achievin 6 change through union:s . 2 . Gay Trade U,lionist - Mel bour :ie. Cp;ression of homoeexual wor kers. 3 . Gay Trade tnionist - NSW. The need to work ih unions. 4. Gail R8.d fore , Ase 1:.,tan t • Corr~issioner, Public Serv ~c.e Board. Changi np; er.:~..:loyr..ent practi c ef:. - Film~: . - Lunc h . - Wurl~ n~ps

- Cr7ani~in~ - ~F~or~in wi , :. be alloca

1979, the day preeeeding Homosexual Conf erence.

- OprPSfion in the throur~ union~.

bac} . . (~ude ted

Munro to ct air'..

to workshops

the

wor ~fo1

opening

on an

of t~e

BlLLETl:\G:

Tte Vic. 3'£U1 s have :kindly arranged billets for tr io::e wi sh in g to attend. If you will be attendin 0 the ACS}A Conference, please let us know the cetai ls tefore the next ·meetin s .ie. ~bether you will be representing yo ur union or whether you wil l be going in a private capacity ~ and whetter you will need .to be billeted.

PUBilCI TY:

NSW GTUG have 1,000 leaflets. People are needed to leaflet bars, gay and wo:nens' centres, ar.d to make perEonal enquiries .at traae union offices. Can you help? let us know lph : 519 6235) or come to the next meetinf.


1.ADB Researchinto Homosexual Discrimination ·:::r·ea~ter:::oon

se minar

bep;:'1n

at

2.00;,~r. with

a welcon:e

by :{icharc ·

Wilso-:i.

Chris Burvill, a research officer witl the NSW A~ti- Discrimination Board tten eave a talk o~ the results of some of her work. She star ted off by yo int i~i out that t te 1977 Anti-Di~crim.·Act c ic not nake it unla ·,,:ful to di:.;cri:r.inate a~ains t ho:ioEeY.ua.ls . However, it did inrtruct tte Joard to carrj out researc~ into diecr i ~inatio~ against ho~osexuale. A;i carliPr report of t:ce 3oarc into :"ii.·crir 1in2.tion in l[_';islation 0'1 :·r:e r~rou:--ic!s o:; :~ex, I'D.Ce and mari ta-.:. ~-tatuf: reco:wr .ended ~evision o~ t~os e section:of the 8ri mes Act re:atins to homosexual a cts - on t~e sroundr ttat they a ; plied only to· ales a'1~ t te refore di2crirr.i:;atcd o:--, tr !e :::asis of 2ex. ':'hose ;-2..rticul ar reco:rrr. E'~~'·atj_o:-: ,· t: :..c ...,ot

yet

bee:..

acted

'Jnon.

t.'O<'Y o: Ct~r:.:· ' r- t :-H: con :.:h· t ec of a report on two of t~ree r urYc_'J;-. re 2..atin r-: to bo:r.o, exual di~ ·-cr i:ninati o:-i t:-a t ste had been irivolv>?~~ ir t~_is year. -~r 1:;:::-e were of: e· 1~lo_yne:it a ;:; e cies , e'T.;,loyer:-· o.:---r.hq : 0 ;" €XU<3.l, wr,, t c·o· _:)2.rt i:- : (;. ~)~:o·--e -i n .

'~:-r? nairi

:3r:"' t0

er' t• e report o, . e ;r. ::oy:: :er t a /~ ·:.~i' ' :::: a:. c we::.t ::tra.ir: :~t or. t\-.c si.::vr-:i7 o:. ,.:-::--pJ.QJ ~T ~ A; _;...rer .tly bot} : hts<: :;ielcied ci:-rila. r f:}.i::

1

T '' f"'Ult::: • •

of c-:i-:i;J.oycr~ r.ac involvec:· 1 C'C. ) P□;,iloyc-r:::: in tre pri.vate in NJ,'i. 'rr.e · survr;y aimc.>d to cover a represent2.tive ra-:1.ri:e of buciness a,d iGdustry - w~o!esale, r etail, ~anufacturine , e tc.i n bot~ city and cou~~ry. ':'~·1? survey

,ector

Of t:-.e 1 00 er. ;:loy t=rs, be cau c.e of r.o:r.ose:xuali

adrri ttPd to ::avi r:r, re j('cteci ty over t.r:e las t ~ years. C;

a job applicant

All denied having refused to Jromote anyone because of horo,exuality. 3 rad cisr:1ir-:sed err.ployees b ecause of ho n:osexuali-:y , incluc ing: - a ~ight porter i n a hot~~ who ha d a:lP ~e~ly bee~ unreliab le as a result of ;;_~:i;--.g - a proces~ ~or~er er:-:pl.oyee.

:--j,

3 o .ployers not to

er:,_;,loyee:::-, war::i.:! 0 t hem to"be the employer ' s cu .· inf?ss into disrespect.

interest

in an ot t er

t ac cauti .oned

"brinp;

aric

job to rf't f·ex , a t. d w}:o i ad expres~ed [exual

le::,f: blatant 11

25 of tr e 100 err.;;loyers felt t!"''?re were c e !'tain jobc tra t would be unsuitable for homosexuaL:. I'i:ese m:ua.:::..ly i nvolvecl co:r.tact wi U: the public , ("You coulfr i 't tavP lesbi a ~r selli~ ~ ~irls ' wear or unc erw0ar. 11 ) or ~-upervi~ -ory po ::;i ti onf' ( 11 1'.t.e rr:orals cf juniors have 11 to be protected. ) One saic you coul \:n 't h8.ve e r:,ay workin r; as a cellarma n· because he wouldn't bA able to lift t !--e barrels. of the surYeyed employers expre [:sed re servatj_ons gays ~ because jobs involved c o~tact wit~ the public, b 'c'caus'e ·they feared friction among worker ::.

about or

70% saw no problem if the Anti-Discrimination Act was extended inc lude homosexuals but 30% were opposed - seeinf this as impingi ng on employers' righ~s. I f it were extended t he y felt employers would find administrative ways around the Act.

to

About

a third

employing

The survey in terviews

of homosexuals consisted of relatively t1J . _,oI"\osexuals who pboned in.

in-depth

wi

Those who ph one d in covered all g~oups but there were more pr ·ofessionals than others, and te ache rs were the :nost h igh ly represented group. Many were clo setted . They feared .the sack , and felt knowledge of their homosexuality migh t affect their pro~oti on prospect s .

,·,


Many felt their ' :?t r. job.

homosexual~ty

made it

14 had to chanfie

one policeman) status.

jobs because of their - most from profc..::sional

difficult

for

them to

homosexuality (includine jobs to job.s of lower

sacked. 5 of these were working in thf= . ?al th area. forced to resign after being confronted. One lesbian t -. "'h,_ esigne~ after vic'tirnisation, ano .. :;mous phone calls, ar,a being socially ostracised. 1 i! had been

1 felt

Often ordPr

gays preferred to go quietly a~d avoid making an issue to preserve their ctances of re-employment.

in

Fe,/ :-:oUff't assistance from their u~iion, a:.c' 'thoee t hat did. usually did ~)~rsevere in t h.e face of initi a l c.i r·cour a,:-:Pment. Only one r:ad ac~u~lly received union backing. Not unexpectedly, those working with area seemea to be the most vulnerable discrimination.

children or in the health or most likely to suffer

Chris expressed surprise at how recent most of the re p orted cases had been. This may have been the result of people being more open, but things did not seem to be getting better.

2. Summing Up The seminar broke up into two wcr ksrops to discuss work experiences and ways of workine t r:rough unio :1.s.Decisions at these and the final summing up session are listed below: 1)

2)

3)

4) 5)

6) 7)

8)

The denial o~ the ri".ht t6 be openly horaosexual at work is a serious form of anti-gay discrimination. That the central concern of GTUG is social freedom, and therefore in seeking to de v elop links with the trade union movement it co-op erate with other human rights .:.nd anti-discrimination grou-ps. That it consider approachin g womens', blacks and migrant groups towards presenting a united front to unions on discrimination. That 3TUG seek to implement the International Gay Associati"on' s request that gay groups ~ork upon their nation 's delegates to the Inte~national labor Organisation with a view to amending . convention 111 to outlaw discrimination against gays in the wor~;place. The GTUGpublicise to unions , gay groups and employers, the A activities of the N3w' Anti-D i scrimination Board and its resear ~ into discri~i~ation against gays. . That GTUGapproach the :JSW Trades and Labor Cou?1cil, seeking the assistance of tr.e TLC iducation Officer, to researct furth e~ the nature and incidence of discrimination again~t homosexuals in the NSw workforce, and such research to supp1ement that eurrently being undertaken by the :N.3WADB. That GTUG endorse unions' actions to seek i~CTU endorserr.ent of t!' , ACSP.il resolutions O'!'l gay rights, such endorsement not being se t:r as conflicting with the need for research at the State TLC le ve) That because the seminar/workshop recognises that the denial o the rig ht to be openly homosexual at work is a serious form of anti-gay discrimination, it is concerned by the policy of tre XSWAnti-Discrimination Board to discourage its employees fro ~., being open about their sexuality and homosexuality, and not to employ openly homosexual people has been adopted for political reasons, and considers it to be an unacceptable posi t· for a body such as the ADB, when its clear ctarter ia to ident i discri:nina tion and recom .nend r..ea;1s of ei'..'adicati!'lg that dJscr iir inati on. That tr.e GTlG see :.: fu~--~s fro:n the 5t :: Natio!1al Hoi:tosexual Conference, and f.ro:TI t!'e trade union r.ioven:e': t.


1,2, 3,4 , 5 British CivilService Victories .

Britain's largest public service union, the Civil and Public Services Association (membership 273,000) amended ·its rule book to include opposition to discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation at its annual conference in May 1979. Conference also passed a resolution recognieing and sup~orting the CPSA's gay group. All members are to be circulated with information on the group and the editor of the union's journal r.as been in s tructed to give publicity to the group and its aims.

Shortly before ClSA met, t h e 110,000 s tron g Society of Civil and Public Servants (SClJ) uassed a motion (wittout co~~ent) declarini:r. that homosexual discrimination is intrinsically evil and caus~s unnecessary suffering. T'te Executive was then called on to take steps to try to bring ho~osexual discrimination to an end. However, a ffiove to include anti-discrimination measures for gays in the union's · rule book was narrowly defeated. These considerable advances followed the decision of the topranking First Division Association and the Association of Tax Inspectors on the 3rd of May to oppose any di s crimination aeainst homosexual officers. the wake of these victories, the 100,000 members of the In8titmtion of Professional Civil Servants have been assured that a policy staten:ent to help local branci:es figr.t against a'1ti-gay di ~,crimination wi 1.1 be dr awn up. l!revj ouB to thi ..; assur~ce, t ►, e ll ·C$ maintained tr.at it rad always opposed dit;cri --·ination, but preferred to do so quietly a~~ discreetly. In

}03T3CRilT: The ClJA Gay Group welco ~es contact ~ with Au~tralia It al s o produces & r..ontr.ly newsletter. Tr.e addre:: s i s: ClJAGG, c/- 92 Clarendo~ ~oad, 101DON W11 2P-~ UK.

..

Advances -for Ontario &ayTeachers

Two teachers' .federation s of t he Cana di an province of Cntario, t:ave ame~ded t '.-ieir anti-ci ..;cri: :.ina tion policies to include 11 s exual orientation". Tr,ey are tte 0 :--itar io Secov !Cary Sctool T(eac~) .ers' Federation (CJSTF, and the Toronto Teac he ~s' Federatio~, TT.;:' •

Some controver sy arose around whether these rr.easures would J:J rovir!e any practical effect. The 1,resicent of the OS.3TF said that the effect of tr.•e rr.oves wi ll be ni1 because "we already provide support f or ga ys' 1 • She was referring to tr .e assistance g iven to teachers when Toronto poli ce hancie d over to er.-:p~ .oyers the names of tho Ge teac hers ar rested after a raid on a Toronto steam bath. Eoweve~, there ire ~e ve s afout t o get t he sexual orientati on clause included i.:: local agreen.en ts (aware s) wi tr school boards. The President of a Toro n to loc a.l " or :::ub- bran c!: of O~STF thinks this inclu ~~ ion will give the union tr :e power to ~tep in wl'iere someone 1:,ets ir.to any trouble simply because of t }1eir flexual orientation. 11

And a Bpokesperi:;on for tl:e Ontario Gay Teac~·ers' Caucu:, s a .id "until sexual ori en ta tion clau .;es a!'e actually incl uced in

teach ere board

contracts,

f!JJ.Y teacr:ers

wil:.

ha.ve no real

'!'he ONTARIO GAY TBACHBRS' CAUCt~ can be contacted at: Box 543. Station ? ~ Toront o ON M4Y 21.8 CANADA.

.

that

protection.

tr


. &TUG&oesInternational A letter from Jex Watson, t}~e Australian representative of the lnternatior.al Gay Associatj or., to '.''T'_.G if ; NSW and Victoria rr:arks tle beginnin~ of a co- aruina~e~ ca~ ~a ig~ by rAY trade unio~ist~· a.rouno the wor:.o -co work t,Jward s t r.e an.e r:dmeni; of the Discri:nination (Employment & Occupation) Conventior. 1958 bf the Jnternational Labor Organisation, so that it covers sexual orientation. The International Gay Association at its first in Holland at Easter, set this as the task for corning years.

Annual

Conference

Australia

in the

"The Australian trades unions are increasingly supi)orting the rip;hts of gays not to be c!iscriminated against at work and there is active and con:t -inuing gay communication with the unions on this. The same is true of the UK. Unfortunately, ~ost of the international gay groups do no t have direct links with tra de unions, _often owing to the hostility of the unions themselves. It was felt that uniors would be more wi 1.2..ing to sup-,ort gay rights if they knew that sir.iilar unions in othe:r;- countries were also doing so. It is therefore propo8ed that groups be requested to send t~e name of their organiser de alin g with trades unions to Lex Watson, or if tr.ey do not have one, tr.e naff1es, addresses, and policies 0:1 civil and zay rights of trade· · unions in their countries."

The task

for

GTUG iR two fold:-

a te the collection of tra de union pol icies from .aroun d tr.e world. This would be used on a national and international basis to_lobby trade union confederations. And we, . (a) lobby the Austra : ian pea k tra de un ion councils into adopting gay rig~t s policies, and (b) for the~ to encoura g e ot} :e r n ation .•l un ion bodies to act at their national and at tte international level (ie. 110)

( 1 ) ·tle co-ordin (2)

ASK NCT GTUGCa1 LO This

project

co r.tri bute

resources come along!

wi 1 1. only t~et off the grounc. tr: eir ski 1.1s, ti:ne and ener r;y. is planned fer our ~ext ~eeting

if 1wre ,Jeo p7.e can A discu~:;si on of tr.~ ._grou ~, on the 19 th nbgust. S6

!!!

August 4 $eminar onDiscrimination :.. ~:~-·~ _.. -\,

. ...: .

Over 30 major U!'lions in !''..ji'/ were personal 1..y appro .acr.ed~ often· at t're executive level, about sendin g a r.eler;ate <?-lor...- .to tr .e ::er.:in&:r;.. Of t'r.ese tte Nurses Asso ciat ion , t}: e El e ctrical' ·TradeE Union, t ~ e Australian Social Welfare t~ion a nd t ~e Printing a~f Kindred Industries !'nion turned up. Apol or:ies wPre r cct? ive d ,fro: 1: t h e ··.>,-./ Teac ~ ers' Federation, t t e Federate f Eng i ~e Lriver2 a n d Fire ~ enF ' Associa.ti on an d t l'.e Liquor an c Al 1.i ed :!'nc.ustrjes Employees t'ni on ·rne Public Service Assucia tior. exec u tiv e al. t: , ou c_:}-:not encl or:· j _rlf! a reiJre .sentative to atten~. r e sc.lvec ttat tr ,ey su ;:,: ort le r:i~;l_;:iti•,c-: chan ge to ov rrcome l::o:no:: :e xual di s cri 1dna ti on.

THE ~IM: of tte afternoon was to deve l op.some unfer s tarfing of t hr issues of a r. ti- r:ay di s cri :aination ir . err:pl.o y·1ier t in :-~ti , botr for tbe trade ur:.ion movement anc :~'l'UG c.e le.f"<: t es to t r<' n.C:.51 '.n !~ationa1 Meetin~ on homosexual wor ~e rs. Afloatin g :'lumber_ of arou~ 1c 40 ~~o: ..le 2.:.ttrr.:·e d t'!'-e arc :re!·s hy Cr.:ris Burvi~ .l fror i: the N:Jw Anti-Di ~;crii: ii r:ation Boa r c a~ir. P,· wor ~::·r.o~~·!.~ and s u:..:·.: in r up ~;e ~f~ion ~· a .fter. · t-.ON};Y: ':•i e c o., t of 1:Le afte rno on wai:. arou;1.r t~e ~5100 ·:.ark , paid f or b~' the two people wbo did rwst of tl ·.e orgar:ising ~or after noo,- .. One of these people is currently une~ p loyed. GTUG would ap;Jreciate all donations to r..elp pay of"f , this· debt. ·


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.