Ei-iE

Education International
Education International

Australia: WorkersOut! At Mardi gras

published 13 February 2006 updated 6 June 2018

EI affiliate the NTEU is a member of WorkersOut! - a collective of unions and union members who identify as lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and intersex (LGBTI) working together to raise the profile and importance of union membership across the LGBTI community.

Workers Out! has been particularly proactive in coordinating community roundtables, education sessions and street stalls for the 'Your Rights at Work' campaign. Research has shown that more than 53% of LGTBI workers surveyed in 2004 had faced harassment and discrimination in their workplace. British research recently published found that 49% are too scared to ‘come out’ at work. For the last 10 years, a variety of union members and unions have participated in the Mardi gras parade bringing a level of attention to the union movement across a broad spectrum of the community. This year, the WorkersOut! float at the Mardi gras will be focused on the Your Rights at Work theme. WorkersOut is encouraging union staff and members to get involved with the procession and celebration; they don’t have to be of a particularly sexuality – just supportive and respectful of the organisation's aims. For more information, please see the NTEU website (see below).