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For Equity members

Template regarding the proposed abolition of the Women's seat on Equity Council

 [Address]

[Date]

Dear General Secretary, Paul Fleming

Concern regarding proposed abolition of the Women’s seat on Equity Council

As an Equity member in good standing, I am writing to make a formal complaint against the Union regarding the proposal to change the composition of the Council, presented in the members referendum of the revised Rule Book (closing date 2nd December 2026).

I object to the proposed abolition of the existing Women’s seat on the Council, and its replacement with a Gender Equality seat. I also object to the Union’s failure to properly consult members on this significant change, which will impact, and reduce the representation of, approximately 26,500 female members, 53% of the Union’s membership.  

Specifically, my complaint is: 

1)    The proposed abolition of the Women’s seat is bundled in with other proposed rule changes, forcing members to accept losing their dedicated sex-based representation just to pass routine administrative updates.

2)    The email sent out to members, giving a brief summary of the proposed changes failed to mention that the creation of a Gender Equality seat will be at the expense of the Women’s seat.

3)    The proposal to abolish the Women’s seat was introduced without any prior open consultation. Instead of giving members a voice, the leadership has bypassed branch debate and emailed the proposed change to members, obfuscated by a wave of administrative rule changes, triggering a ballot. Members were granted zero opportunity to discuss or scrutinise this high-stakes shift. A constitutional change of this magnitude demands transparent consultation and robust branch debate before a live vote is ever launched.

4)    The landmark ruling by the Supreme Court on April 16 2026 made clear the protected characteristic of ‘sex’ in the Equality Act 2010 refers to biological sex not gender. With the proposed abolition of the Women’s seat and the instatement of a Gender Equality seat, the Union fails to acknowledge that the promotion of women’s equality is sex-based, not gender-based. In addition the Union’s adoption of Rule J12 enables males to self-define and be elected as a woman, potentially denying a female member a seat at Council. This flies directly in the face of the Supreme Court.

5)    Trans members and those with marginalised identities already have representation and protection via the proposed LGBTQIA+ seat, replacing the existing LGBT seat. The proposed abolition of the Women’s seat and replacement with Gender Equality seat means trans members will have disproportionate representation compared with other members, whilst the protected characteristic of women, as defined by the Equality Act, will have no representation at Council.

Desired outcomes:

We request the current referendum package is halted immediately. The distinct constitutional change, specifically the abolition of the Women’s seat and replacement with a Gender Equality seat,  must be reissued to the membership, as a distinct and single change, for a mandatory 30-day open consultation period before any standalone ballots are held.

Please acknowledge receipt of this complaint within the standard seven days’ ‘Complaints and Disciplinary Procedures’ and outline your timeline for a formal response.

Yours sincerely,

[insert name]

Equity Membership Number, if known