The Institute for Labor Studies (ILS) invited ten National Capital Region-based unions to participate in the ILS survery for the research project “Organizing for Equality: Study on Women and Gender Mainstreaming in Labor Unions in Philippine Key Services Subsectors” conducted in 09 October at the Institute’s iLearn Conference Room, Manila.

The survey wanted to ascertain the state of women’s participation and of the integration of gender and women’s issues in unions in the services sectors. Initial findings from the survey show that the trend in women union membership was increasing for the last five years because most of the new hires are assigned in sales, which require women as front-liners. Generally, membership in the unions which participated followed a closed-shop system where regular employees automatically become members of the union.

The respondents recognize the barriers to women participation in trainings. One measure to overcome such barrier is changing the mindset of the officers and management that women can learn from these trainings. For example, letting women attend gender and development trainings will empower them to provide solutions to women issues within the company.

The accomplished survey questionnaires will form part of the tabulated results and will be included in the data processing and analysis of the research paper.

The Institute for Labor Studies is the policy and research arm of the Department of Labor and Employment. For more information about ILS products and services, please visit: http//ils.dole.gov.ph or call Advocacy and Publication Division at Tel. No. 527-3590