Gendering and Diversifying Trade Union Leadership

Examining the experiences of leadership among trade unionists in a range of unions and labor movements around the world, this volume addresses perspectives of women and men from a range of identities such as race/ethnicity, sexuality, and age. It analyses existing models of leadership in various political organizational forms, especially trade unions, but also including business and management approaches, leadership forms which arise from fields such as community, pedagogy, and the third sector. This book analyzes and critiques concepts, expectations, and experiences of union leaders and leadership in labor organizations, while comparing gender and cultural perspectives. Contributors to the volume draw on empirical research to identify key ideas, beliefs and experiences which are critical to achieving change, setting up resistance, and transforming the inertia of traditionalism.

Sue Ledwith works mainly in the field of gender and trade unions. Currently a Leverhulme Emeritus scholarship holder, she works with Global Labour University Masters programme graduate trade unionists, especially those in Brazil and South Africa. She is co-editor of Women in Organisations: challenging gender politics (1996) and Gender, Diversity and Trade Unions: International Perspectives (2002/7, Routledge). Lise Lotte Hansen is a cultural sociologist, a Ph.D., and an associate professor in the Department of Society and Globalization, Roskilde University. She works in the broad field of gender and labour markets. At the present she is researching gender, diversity, democracy and solidarity politics in Danish trade unions.

1. A Diverse Trade Union Leadership: Complexity, Contradictions, Continuity and Change Lise Lotte Hansen and Sue Ledwith 2. Gendered Leadership in Australian Unions in the Process of Strategic Renewal: Instrumental, Transformative or Post-Heroic? Barbara Pocock and Karen Brown 3. Gender and Union Leadership: A Force Field Analysis Michelle Kaminski and Jailza Pauly 4. Women Leaders Riding the Whirlwind: Leadership and Gender In/Equality in the Danish Labour Movement Lise Lotte Hansen 5. Doing, Un-Doing and Re-Doing Gendered Union Leadership Sue Ledwith 6. Flexible Production and Flexible Women - The Story of Union Leader Alice Tuula Heiskanen and Riitta Lavikka 7. Merit, Individualism and Solidarity: Revisiting the Democratic Deficit in Union Women's Leadership Linda Briskin 8. Rethinking Organising and Leadership: Lessons from Non-Traditional, Women-Centred, Labour Campaigns in New York City Sally Alvarez and Pam Whitefield 9. Emerging from 'Deep, Dark Forests' - Women Leaders as Learners in Eastern and Western European Trade Unions Joanna Cain 10. Developing and Globalising Women's Union Leadership via a Cross-National Exchange Programme Gill Kirton, Geraldine Healy, Sally Alvarez, Mary Gatta, Risa Lieberwitz and Heather Mckay 11. Union Revitalisation Through Gender Equality in the German Service Sector Union Ver.Di Anja Kirsch 12. Breaking Through the Union Glass Ceiling Iin France: Between Organisational Opportunities and Individual Resources Cecille Guillaume and Sophie Pochic 13. Female Union Leadership, Power, Dynamism and Organised Labour in Ghana Akua Britwum 14. Still Facing Discrimination: Impediments to Women's Representation in Belgian Trade Unions Saskia Ravesloot 15. Gendering Research, Researching Gender Sue Ledwith and Lise Lotte Hansen Notes List of Contributors Index