WOMEN'S REPRESENTATION GAP IN TRADE UNION MANAGEMENT: A CASE OF A PUBLIC SECTOR UNION

Abstract

Regarding the progressive decline of the social influence of the trade union movement, it is emphasized that women workers should be a potential source of members and managers in the discussions on strategies to revitalize trade unionism. However, women's access to positions such as management or leadership and their representation in these positions are severely limited due to the pervasive effects of the employment relations regime and masculine culture in various organizations of working life. This article aims to examine the representation gap of women in trade union management in a public workplace in the light of interviews with union member women. As a result, the Turkish public sector's unique political and legal dynamics, as well as the existence of unequal gender relations that have been structured in social life, have been identified as important factors that hinder the representation of women in management.