Exploring driving factors and challenges faced by women in trade union membership

Abstract

This study places gender at the center of concepts used to investigate union membership and involvement in the Malaysian context, indicating that a gender-sensitive methodology contributes to the knowledge. To gain a better understanding of the topic of women’s involvement in trade unions in Malaysia, the researchers conducted a literature review of previous articles to support the study’s objectives, which were to determine the factors that motivate women’s participation in trade unions and the challenges that they face as members of a trade union. This issue’s problem statement is connected to women’s empowerment, which is a prerequisite for a just, sustainable, and rights-based economy. Nonetheless, women in Malaysia continue to bear a disproportionate share of the burden of poverty, discrimination, and exploitation. This study elaborated 5 factors that influence women’s union joining and participation, such as promoting gender equality in the workplace, feminism movement motivation, union experiences, better working conditions, and experiences in ensuring job assurance and welfare. Besides that, challenges those women face while being members of a union in Malaysia are unevenness and under-representation, gender discrimination against female unionists, discouragement or hostility in a sexual harassment case, and the prominence of a male-dominated network in the quest for leadership positions. Additionally, this study made several recommendations on how women can be empowered so that their participation and involvement in trade union can bring value and justice to the current dynamic workforce.