A million women's voices

UNISON is the largest union in the UK and the majority of the 1.3 million members are women. 

Moving a motion to make 2027 the Year of Women Workers, Lady Lola Oyewasi, national women’s committee (above, right), received rapturous support from the audience as she spoke passionately about the reasons why this motion should be adopted. 

“We are one million women with one million voices. A million reasons why we cannot wait. We all have our stories to share. Women are the backbone of our union. Women are the heartbeat of our union. Without women there is no UNISON, because we make up 80% of our membership. 

“The women here, we do not ‘mind the gap’. We ‘fill the gap’,” she smiled as the audience laughed warmly. 

“But seriously, we take on the challenges and put aside our own personal issues. We are mothers, wives, daughters, single mothers. We are standing shoulder-to-shoulder on the picket lines and we want our voices heard,” continued Lola.

“I love celebrating and it is important we celebrate our successes in life. We’re always just keeping going, well we all need a pat on the shoulder.”

Jenny Whittaker, NEC, first time speaker, added that the purpose of the 2027 Year of Women Workers isn’t just about “celebrating how far we’ve come. It’s about about measuring how far we still have to go.” 

She continued: “In our hospitals, in our schools, in our councils, and our communities, women keep public services running. Women organise, we campaign, we represent and lead. 

“But let me tell you this…being the majority doesn’t automatically mean we have the loudest voice or the greatest influence and that’s why this motion matters. Women are still concentrated in the lowest paid roles, still facing barriers to progression and are still expected to carry the heaviest load at work and at home. Inequality doesn’t just exist, it adapts, it shifts and appears in new ways.” 

Jenny added that UNISON has a powerful legacy of doing things differently. “Right now, we are living through a time of real challenge. Economic pressures are pushing more women into insecurity and beyond our borders we are seeing women’s rights eroded and held back. 

Designating 2027 as the Year of Women Workers gives up the chance to showcase our work and to encourage more women to get involved.” 

Millie Halroyd, Scottish regional young members’ committee said: “As a young woman, I am proud to be part of UNISON, and making 2027 the Year of Women Workers sends out a strong message that we are the biggest movement for women in the UK. But beyond our union, it is also important to show that UNISON cares and will continue to fight to defend and improve women’s rights. This is so important at a time when we are seeing a rise of the far right and misogyny, particularly digitally and behind closed doors. 

“Reform are only one part of this increase in misogyny. You only need to look online at the manosphere to see the genuine fear it poses to all women. Let’s have a year of celebrating the women who came before, but also the to show that UNISON women are not going anywhere.”

The motion was passed unanimously.