LGBTI Workers' Rights

In celebration of the International Coming Out Day, The Council of Global Unions (CGU) has launched a new website for LGBTI workers on October 11, 2020. The website is a joint platform for global unions and their affiliated trade unions to share their struggles, their work and their activities promoting LGBTI workers' rights across the world.

The IUF-affiliated United Food and Commercial Workers' (UFCW) LGBTQ+ constituency group OUTreach and the UCLA Labor Center have conducted a survey of members across the U.S. and Canada to examine today's workplace climate and equity for LGBTQ+ workers.  Over 1000 UFCW rank and file members participated in the survey and expressed their views on LGBTI workers' rights and issues including union organizing and members' priorities. The report found that advocacy efforts by rank-and-file members of the UFCW have broadened support for union organizing for safer and more equitable workplaces for LGBTQ workers in the U.S. and Canada.

The IUF, its European organization EFFAT and the IUF LGBTI Workers & Allies' Committee are deeply concerned that some Polish cities have passed resolutions declaring themselves "free of LGBT ideology". These resolutions undermine the rights of LGBTI people and encourage homophobia, transphobia and biphobia.

Honduras continues to be one of the most lethal countries for LGBTI people. On the night of July 10, Scarleth Campbell, a trans-activist woman from the Asociación Arcoíris Honduras, one of the organizations that defends the rights of sexual diversity, was shot and killed by unknown assailants in the capital city, Tegucigalpa.

On June 25, 2020 a referendum was organized in Russia in order to introduce the amendments to the constitution proposed in January 2020. In the approved constitution text that emphasizes the holiness of the family institution, marriage is defined as a union between men and women and it is said that the marriage institution will be protected together with mothers, fathers and children. The government, known for its repressive attitude towards different sexual orientations, thus constitutionally prevented any regulation that would pave the way for gay marriage.

Costa Rica becomes the sixth country in Latin America and the first in Central America to legalize same-sex marriage. On May 28, 2020 the IUF sent a letter to the Minister for the Status of Women in Costa Rica expressing its appreciation for this legislation.

If the more than two months of lockdown have exposed and deepened the inequalities that already existed in Honduran society, the pandemic has been fertile ground for the immolation of new victims of discrimination and hatred. "Quarantine and social distancing have negatively impacted the lives of both LGBTI people and heterosexuals," said Indyra Mendoza, coordinator of the Red Lésbica Cattrachas (Cattrachas Lesbian Network).

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) published a new guidance on the impact of COVID-19 on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people.

IUF-affiliated UNITE HERE continues its "One Job Should Be Enough" campaign demanding safe jobs that provide enough to live on. The campaign addresses the issues of Marriott hotel workers and airline catering workers. The union has now released a new report entitled "One Job Should Be Enough: Inequality at Starbucks". The report highlights the issues faced by airport Starbucks LGBTI workers.

Employees spend a lot of time in the workplace - and there you are never just a worker, but always a human being. Therefore, nobody should have to hide for who "he" or "she" is or who they love. Because that is not only what defines us as a person, it is also what enriches our relationship with our colleagues and characterizes a good working atmosphere. Only in a good working atmosphere can employees perform their work with joy and commitment - and do not have to waste their energy on hiding or fighting back.

The IUF's commitment to equality in the workplace and in society took an important step forward with the IUF LGBTI Workers & Allies' Committee Constituting Meeting that was hosted by the IUF-affiliated Servicios CC.OO. in Barcelona on November 13-14, 2019.  The Committee elected two women: Michele Kessler from UFCW (USA) as Chair and Gisele Adão from CONTAC (Brazil) as Vice-Chair.

The IUF brochure on bargaining demands for LGBTI workers’ rights intends to assist affiliates effectively include lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) workers’ rights in collective bargaining in order to end discrimination and ensure security and the full respect of the rights of LGBTI members.

To mark the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, the IUF strongly welcomes both the statement of the ILO and the video produced by UN Free&Equal. Both represent our continued common demand for justice, protection and equality for all. Consistent with IUF policy we fully endorse the content of these publications.