The Stage

Women prevented from full CIU membership for ninth year running

Published Tuesday 18 April 2006 at 10:15 by Mark Ritchie

For the ninth successive year, a minority at the Club and Institute Union’s annual conference has defeated attempts to abolish the union’s controversial rule preventing women from becoming full members.

The organisation, which is one of clubland’s biggest employers, has been attempting to get rid of the rule for nearly a decade, with reformers claiming that women members being allowed to purchase pass-cards will help generate extra income for the cash-strapped union. However, despite some 61% of the 1,128 delegates at this year’s conference voting in favour of abolition, regulations demand a two-thirds majority for constitutional amendments.

CIU general secretary Kevin Smyth commented: “Club closures are still continuing and last year 71 more clubs left the CIU - some citing the women’s issue as the reason - but most left due to closure. Women in society have just given up on us now.”