Unison to troonison

Unison general secretary Andrea Egan today pledged to push for a change in the law governing single-sex spaces, following meetings with “trans and gender diverse” activists.

In a video recorded with a picture of a Palestinian child on the wall behind her, Egan said more than 600 members of the 1.3 million strong union had written to her explaining why they believed the Equality and Human Rights Commission code on single-sex services was unworkable.

She warned that public-sector employers withdrawing trans policies would be “held to account” and said Unison would work with its networks and equality team to “make every workplace trans inclusive”.

The union leader concluded: “What’s clear is that we need to change the law for legal gender recognition in the UK.”

The demand for legal change comes less than a fortnight after Unison was found to have breached its rules by allowing a male member to stand for a female-only seat on its National Executive Committee. Unison said it would not challenge the ruling, but would continue campaigning to change the law. 

LGB Labour accused Egan of ignoring the interests of female members, commenting online: “We do not understand, and are disappointed to see again, this race to fervently ignore female members. Unison has already lost in court allowing a man to stand in a women only list. Why did union members pay this legal bill for the indefensible?”

Akua Reindorf KC, who oversaw the drafting of the Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance, said on X that it had been a “painfully slow process of realisation” but that the union had finally understood “if they want gender self-ID they’ll need to change the Equality Act.”

“Now we wait to find out how they think they can do it without obliterating women’s & LGB rights. Pro tip: don’t hold your breath,” added the equality lawyer.

Despite women making up roughly three-quarters of Unison’s membership, Egan has previously made clear that her sympathies do not extend to all female workers.

During the 2025 leadership contest, PoliticsHome asked her about nurse Sandie Peggie, who launched legal action against her union, alleging that the Royal College of Nursing failed to support her after she complained about sharing a female changing room with a male doctor who identifies as a woman.

Egan replied: “I haven’t followed that case. But what were the real issues within that? I have trans friends, trans women friends; my nephew is a trans man.”

Asked whether she would be comfortable with Unison representing someone in Peggie’s position, she replied: “I wouldn’t.”

The reluctance of established trade unions to support gender-critical members has helped spur the creation of alternatives, including the Darlington Nurses Union.