For the first time in its history, Fórsa has established an LGBTQ+ network, marking its launch with an event that took place on November 27. The event also commemorated the long history of support from the trade union movement for the rights of LGBTQ+ people in Ireland.

With over 80,000 members, Fórsa is one of the largest trade unions in Ireland, as well as the largest public service union. Every year, the union holds the Organising for Equality event to examine societal and equality issues, how they impact workers, and how trade union members are fighting for their rights.

This year’s event saw the establishment of Fórsa’s new LGBTQ+ Network, with the aim of supporting all members and staff who identify as a member of the queer community. The network was created after a motion passed at Fórsa’s biennial Conference in May 2024. Proposed by Galway Health and Local Government branch, the motion was approved overwhelmingly by the delegates.

Fórsa member Rob Patridge, who presented the motion at the conference, said: “While so much has been won, we know we still have a long way to go. Our hope with this network is to build connections between Fórsa members who are LGBTQ+, so we learn what is really happening in workplaces.

“Trade unions are built on solidarity, on workers coming together to fight for our collective rights. This is one more step towards that.”

Speaking on the final panel of our #ForsaEquality event, member Rob talks about how moved he was when national conference voted to support his motion calling for an LGBTQ Network – the result of which is today’s launch pic.twitter.com/GqPNybeKRt

— Fórsa trade union (@forsa_union_ie) November 27, 2024

During the launch event, a panel of several speakers from the Queer Library Alliance, Dublin Pride and ICTU discussed the lived experiences of the LGBTQ+ community in Ireland. Moreover, the event also saw the launch of a new publication authored by LGBTQ+ activist Kieran Rose, titled Trade Unions and Progress for LGBT people, a personal history.

The publication outlines the crucial role that the trade union movement had in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights in Ireland. This history dates back to 1982, when the ICTU passed the first motion in support of LGBTQ+ rights, proposed by Kieran Rose of the Cork Gay Collective and seconded by Tricia Treacy to the Cork Branch of the Local Government and Public Service Union (LGPSU Trade Union).

Today we’re honoured to launch a new publication by @kieranarose on the history of the trade union movement’s work organising for equality and to launch our LGBTQIA+ network #ForsaEquality pic.twitter.com/MqOs33cnjC

— Fórsa trade union (@forsa_union_ie) November 27, 2024

The motion stated that the Union would commit to calling on the ICTU to support the decriminalisation of homosexuality and to lobby for employment legislation that would protect workers from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Commenting on the launch of the publication, Kieran Rose said, “The trade union movement was hugely important in progress for LGBT people in Ireland from the early 1980s when we had few supporters but many powerful enemies.”