Mick Hartley

Unions are now a bastion of reactionary leftism. They cling to anything which has ever been associated with “progressive” politics – because they don’t want to think about it. Thinkers don’t make the cut in union politics: mindless slogans do much better.

Unison, for example. More than 70% of their members are women, but new leader Andrea Egan has expressed her unqualified support for trans workers. She wasn’t following the case of Sandie Peggie, she said, but suggested that if trans women are banned for women’s spaces, then what next? – banned from women’s spaces because you’ve got blonde hair? Or blue eyes? Oh dear.

Their latest campaign:

🚨 Opposing the EHRC guidance – we need your voice

MPs will decide on the guidance in the next 30 days — and we need to show them the reality

We need you to tell us why it's unworkable and the real life impact it will have on you in the workplace

📩 Email us: out@unison.co.uk pic.twitter.com/FfoJ0ALMDb

— UNISON – UK's largest union (@unisontheunion) May 28, 2026

Bev Jackson calls them out:

The trade union UNISON says “Change the law”. But it does not spell out to its members what that would mean. It would mean amending the Equality Act to change “Sex” into “gender identity” – introducing “gender self-ID” in law.

But the UK does not want – and will never accept -…

— Bev Jackson (@BevJacksonAuth) May 29, 2026

But the UK does not want – and will never accept – “gender self-ID.” That is a project pursued only by a shrinking group of deluded fanatics.

Meanwhile, UNISON is urging MPs to reject the EHRC guidance – which is not the law, but merely helps service providers and associations keep to the law. Defying it will cost them more money in lost court cases.

Employers don’t need the guidance. For them, the Equality Act as clarified by the Supreme Court together with the 1992 Workplace Regulations are sufficient.

So who is UNISON serving?

Everyone who cares about the rights of women and girls is delighted with the Supreme Court ruling. Everyone who cares about the rights of LGB people is delighted with the Supreme Court ruling.

The law is clear.

UNISON’s defiance of the ruling shows contempt for all its female and LGB members whose rights were clarified by the Supreme Court. They pay their dues – for what?

UNISON is wrong on every level to oppose the guidance. It is confusing its members by saying “Change the law” while attacking the guidance. Its betrayal of its female and LGB members is shameful. What is more, its open contempt for the law is encouraging the reactionary forces that oppose trade unions.