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FEATURE Equalities
n By Hajera Blagg
‘WE NEED TO INVOLVE WOMEN’
Unite’s Joanne Wilson wins top women’s rep award
Unite’s food, drink and agriculture (FDA) sector congratulates Unite Sainsbury’s rep Joanne Wilson for winning the TUC’s North East and Yorkshire region women’s rep of the year award.
Landworker caught up with Joanne, who told us she was “shocked” to have learned that she had won the prestigious honour.
“I didn’t even know I’d been put forward for it,” she said.
Perhaps this is only fitting, considering Joanne never intentionally set out to be a rep in the first place.
“I was what they call ‘volun-told’,” Joanne explained.
“The senior rep at the time was about to retire. He saw potential in me and booked me on a Unite reps’ course in Eastbourne. I thoroughly enjoyed it.”
The opportunity to become a rep came at a fortuitous time for Joanne, because she had just been going through a tough time at the Sainbury’s petrol station where she worked. Management had treated her unfairly, and eventually they moved her to the supermarket part of the business, against her wishes.
“It was a bad situation to be in, and I didn’t want anyone else to go through what I did,” Joanne explained. “I was happy to become a rep.”
Landworker spoke with Joanne at an International Women’s Day event in Leeds. She was keen to highlight the struggles that women in FDA collectively face.
“Whether it’s in the field, factory or supermarket, women, who make up a majority of the FDA sector, are often forced to juggle more than one job because of such low pay, while also having to take on caring responsibilities at home.”
Joanne said she believed this was a major reason that more women weren’t getting involved in the union. And it may also explain why so many employers are woefully behind on supporting women in the workplace with, for example, the menopause, an issue which Joanne highlighted. After all, if women don’t have the time to be involved in their union, then their voices all too often aren’t heard.
“In some ways, I’m lucky, because I don’t have caring responsibilities now – it’s just me. If a member needed representation, I can be there for them at short notice. Many women can’t. As a movement, we need to find a way to get coverage for women so that they’re free to fully participate in our union. We need to involve as many women as we can.”
Unite FDA national officer Paul Travers congratulated Joanne on winning the TUC rep award.
“Joanne has worked tirelessly to support members in her workplace, and she’s a determined champion of women in Unite,” Paul said. “She is a credit to our sector and the wider union, and we couldn’t be prouder of her achievement.”
*Stock photo - not Joanne
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