CAMPAIGN Women
n By uniteLandworker team
New rep Lorna branches out
Meanwhile meet new workplace rep Unite Lorna Bailey-Towler. Lorna works in habitat restoration for Forestry England in the New Forest. Lorna became Unite’s first female rep for forestry workers across the area after being invited to a union meeting. She took on the rep’s role with the help of Unite colleagues including the former rep before he retired.
Being a female rep in a male dominated sector is very important to Lorna. Most of her branch members are male, but there are a growing number of female workers amongst the keepers and wildlife rangers, and being a role model to encourage more women to get involved in the work is vital.
Lorna believes being a rep gives her an opportunity to challenge the more old fashioned views of some colleagues, and
encourages a cultural shift where women forestry workers are accepted as just
another one of the team.
And though she deals with all the
bread-and-butter
issues of a workplace rep, like disciplinaries and grievances, she has been highlighting issues affecting women workers around health, safety and welfare.
As with women workers in many sectors involving physical work, PPE is an issue.
Lorna explained. “Workers in forestry use a variety of equipment, one of the most dangerous, and commonly used, are chainsaws. There is specific PPE that must be worn when using chainsaws, and this often isn’t designed with women in mind. We sometimes end up wearing ‘Extra Small’, which is actually dangerous as it can restrict movement.
“Another common problem is toilets. Most yards have mainly male workers and have no female toilets. One yard in particular has an all- male team – but is also used for training days, so there is a need for female toilets to be added.”
Thanks to Lorna’s involvement, Forestry England is being proactive in finding ways to improve facilities and PPE. She’s now working with management to help more women consider a career in forestry through its Women in Forestry programme.
Women in Forestry now has its own page on the Forestry England website which shares stories of female workers in the organisation, encouraging women to explore the “wide range of careers in forestry available for women from all backgrounds, from being a forester, ecologist, or tree surgeon, to working in conservation to scientific research.”
Lorna hopes that as more women start careers in forestry, then more reps will come forward.
Lorna said, “There are a few of us in the sector, I recently heard about a female wildlife ranger in Kielder Forest who has just started as a rep.”
“I definitely feel that having more female reps will raise awareness of the issues and be role models for an increasing number of female forestry workers, so I’d encourage anyone thinking about it to give it a go.”
PILOT
For the initial North West region pilot, the FDA women’s campaign will soon be contacting members in the region inviting them to the conference in September. Register your interest or contact
mila.fernandes@unitetheunion.org
15 uniteLANDWORKER Spring 2024
Mark Harvey
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