Tertiary union in push for 30 days of transgender leave

The university workers’ union is demanding up to 30 days of ­gender-affirmation leave across the nation’s campuses for staff who are gender transitioning.

The University of Tasmania has rejected the union’s demand and is instead offering 10 days of special leave for all staff. Picture: Richard Jupe

The university workers’ union is demanding up to 30 days of ­gender-affirmation leave across the nation’s campuses for staff who are gender transitioning.

In the midst of a dispute with the University of Tasmania, the National Tertiary Education Union says staff transitioning have not been given enough time to deal with the medical issues they face.

The University of Tasmania has rejected the union’s demand and is instead offering 10 days of special leave for all staff.

“Our aim is to expand access to paid leave for our people, for those defining their gender or undergoing a gender transition, as well as for those who need to access paid leave for other reasons,” a University of Tasmania spokesman said.

“Negotiations on this, and other matters, are continuing.”

The union says almost 1000 signatures have been obtained for a petition to demand the ­University of Tasmania “treat trans and gender diverse staff properly”, declaring that 10 days is not “commensurate to the needs of workers”.

Queer Unionists in Tertiary Education national convener Amy Sargeant says gender affirmation leave will save the lives of tertiary education workers.

“There are too many stories of incredible workers who have had to quit their jobs while they’re transitioning because they are not supported,” Ms Sargeant said.

“The consequences can be too difficult to bear for many, ­deprived of income during a ­highly traumatic time in their lives – which they have no ­control over.”

“When gender affirmation leave clauses start to appear in our agreements, they will be used by unions across Australia as the benchmark for other industries.”

The union now wants gender-affirmation leave to be a part of all university workplaces.

Generous amounts of leave are already offered at top campuses including the University of Sydney, which offers 30 days to workers who are gender transitioning.

Workers at the University of Melbourne in the past fortnight have campaigned for gender ­affirmation leave to be included in pay negotiations.

Major companies and banks including Westpac and Allianz also now offer some form of gender affirmation leave.

High-profile Equality Tasmania president and leading LGBTI rights activist Rodney Croome said the organisation had had “fruitful” discussions with the University of Tasmania’s vice-chancellor Rufus Black about “appropriate affirmation leave”.

“We expect to meet them again soon so they can hear from a broad range of trans and gender diverse people to ensure the approach they take to affirmation leave is the best possible,” Mr Croome said.

As transgender rights becomes a key election issue and “biological sex” campaigners push politicians to put women’s rights before transgender rights, Coalition for Biological Reality spokeswoman Stassja Frei ­“commended” the University of Tasmania for its stance on 30 days of gender-transitioning leave.

“Workers need extra leave for all kinds of reasons – knee ­operations, the death of a child, crippling endometriosis,” Ms Frei said.

“I’m surprised the union saw it as fair and equitable to single out transgender people as more deserving than other staff.

“I think they’re out of touch with rank and file members.”