We’re continuing our ‘Five questions with…’ series, speaking to LGBT+ members in the Yorkshire and Humberside region to mark UNISON’s Year of LGBT+ workers. This time it’s Mobina…
Who are you?
My name’s Mobina Begum, I’m the joint branch secretary for the Leeds Beckett University branch of UNISON.
What do you do for a job?
I’m a student money adviser at Leeds Beckett University.
How did you get involved with UNISON?
I was working in the third sector and there was a proposal for redundancies. I became active and stood as a rep. I worked with UNISON members to organise, and developed alternative proposals – and avoided any redundancies. I joined the university in 2010 and quickly became active in my branch. I have held various roles including rep, women’s officer, Health and Safety Officer, Equalities Officer and Chair.
How important do you think UNISON’s 2024 Year of LGBT+ workers is?
One of the main reasons I joined UNISON was because I wanted to get involved and advance the equalities work in our union. The Year of LGBT+ workers is important to me as I understand as a LGBT+ Black woman that discrimination still exists in the workplace and society. This is further compounded when taking into account intersectionality. We have seen a relentless attack from this Tory government and on our trans, non-binary and gender diverse colleagues. It is right as UNISON we call out all forms of hate and anti-trans rhetoric wherever we find it.
What would make the year a success for you?
Ensuring equality is central to the work of my branch and raising awareness amongst members of the Year of LGBT+ workers campaign, and how they can get involved.
