In recent years, several women's networks have been started within trade unions that organize employees in male-dominated professions and recently the Transport Workers' Union also got its first women's network.

The trade union has about 57,000 members and about 16 percent are women. Most members are in the transport industry, cleaning and the surveillance industry. According to the initiators, the network has met with resistance.

"Only our existence causes men to become annoyed and question our forum," says Sirke Karlsson, department secretary, another of the women who started the network.

Even men in the Transport Workers' Union?

"There, too," she says.

However, the women in the network point out that they have always had the support of the Federal Board in their work.

Not open to men

At most, between 15 and 20 people have participated in the meetings and they have come from various industries in the transport sector. The network is only open to women and people who define themselves as women.

- It should be a place where we can talk about our problems because I don't think men always understand what they are like. Then they would not behave as they do to us with comments, unwelcome invitations and taws, says Emma Brodin.

Isn't there a point in inviting men so they can change their behavior?

- That's why we think we should educate our other forums so that they can also participate.

The model is spreading

The network has organized everything from social evenings to a lecture with a self-protection instructor who has given tips on what women need to be vigilant to when they go home in the evening.

The model of women's networks has now begun to spread from Örebro to other local branches of the trade union. A similar network has already been established in Södermanland and in Halmstad one can be on the way.

- We will go there and tell you what we do, so we hope there will be more, says Emma Brodin.