Breaking through the norm of heterosexuality means that rights are to be attributed to individuals. An individual is not the same as half a couple. This is especially meaningful for income policies. It is the trade union movement that succeeded in introducing equal treatment in most supplementary pension schemes and extending leave benefits to others than married couples. Naturally, we assist and represent individual trade union members in grievance procedures.
Some unions have special legal advisors for gay workers.
In the Netherlands we have now reached the point that we can concentrate on improving the organisational culture at work places. The climate in which people perform their job. The space there is to contribute to the goal of your company or service in such a way that you can be who you are. Still, there is a difference. Not in career perspectives, but in the social support that workers feel.