C H EC K L I ST A more confident LGBT presence After your initial steps at raising the profile of LGBT issues at work and within your union branch, you may want to build on this presence. There are a number of steps you can take: > Encourage branch representatives or LGBT members to be available for one-to-one chats with other LGBT members so they can feel confident about the union. > Listen to your members. Find out how they want to be involved and what roles they might be interested in – do not assume they will only be interested in LGBT issues.
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> Negotiate time off for LGBT union activities. > Establish a trade union LGBT network across the branch or within the workplace so members can discuss issues as a group. > Encourage LGBT members to take a proactive role. > Check for members’ wider experiences – LGBT members may be active in the local trades council or as a school governor, for example. Make sure any expertise and knowledge is explored for the benefit of the union. Changing the culture of your workplace will take time, so you need to keep at it if change is going to happen for good.