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Fazia Hussain, North East Regional Officer, Unite the union

My story...

How did you get involved in trade unions?
On leaving school, I went to college without a career choice in mind. Everything happened by chance. I completed a GNVQ in Business Studies which included work experience in the local hospital. I worked in the hospital for 7 years doing various jobs and ended up assisting the engineering staff of the facilities management department. It was here that fate led me to my first encounter with trade unions.

What happened then?
The local shop steward asked me if I was interested in representing the female members of staff in the offices. At the time, the union was AEEU – the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union – so it was very male dominated. When the lads in the workshop found out the office girls were planning to join the union, they objected, saying we didn’t have any skills, so that attitude brought out some kind of militancy out in me.

I decided I was going to stand up for our rights as women working in the office so not only joined, but became the female shop steward. The other girls, when asked who was going to stand for the position, turned to me and said she’s the one with the biggest mouth, so I was unanimously elected.

How would you describe the rest of the trade union movement?
During my training we had a saying, ‘male, pale and stale’. It just about summed up the trade union movement. Many of the union officers were white and between 50 and 60 years old. In the North East region there are no black or Asian officers and I am the only female. We know we have to change our structures to gain members from different ethnic backgrounds and make the union more attractive to young and other diverse members.

What do your friends and family think?
I don’t have much time to keep up with friends, as activism has become my whole life. My family think I have become a completely different person. I’m a lot more independent now than I used to be. I now drive all around the country without a moment’s hesitation, whereas a few years ago I panicked if I was asked to attend a meeting in Newcastle only forty miles away.

What is your experience as a Muslim woman at work?
Confidence is the key. It has been an important lesson for me. I’m always thinking, as a woman, are they going to accept me? You end up putting a lot of pressure on yourself.

I look after bus drivers, dockers and truckers. It has taken a long time for them to trust me and get to know me. A lot of them have probably never had the opportunity to work with an Asian person, or have an Asian friend, let alone have an Asian woman represent them in the workplace. You have to give it more than 100% to feel that you are good enough. At the beginning, they used to say, “Oh well, Alan (the previous regional officer) used to do it like this.” I don’t get that as much as now.

What sort of issues come up?
Sometimes, I am asked if we can have the union meeting in the pub. As a Muslim, I don’t have a problem with others drinking, but it’s not for me. They have had to get used to me working differently to some of my colleagues. I’m not saying it isn’t hard, but I haven’t allowed any of these issues to be a barrier. I have just dealt with the situations as they are. We have meetings in the workplace and then they go on to the pub if they want to.

How do you feel now about your choice of career?
Working for the union has completely changed me as a person. I have gone from a nervous young Asian girl, not having a clue about or being interested in politics, to being so passionate about what I do.

I absolutely love my job. I’m there to support members with whatever issues or grievances they have.