PARIS, June 28, 2025 – European transport unions sent a powerful message of solidarity this weekend as unionists gathered at CFDT headquarters in Paris for ETF’s “We Are All Equally Different” conference, culminating in a unified presence at Paris Pride.
The two-day event revealed alarming new data showing widespread discrimination against LGBTQI+ transport workers, including harassment, violence, and inflexible workplace policies that fail to protect vulnerable employees.
“An attack against one of us is an attack against all of us,” keynote speaker Rokhaya Diallo, the French journalist, writer and award-winning filmmaker, told delegates, calling for unified resistance against rising far-right ideologies targeting marginalized communities. Her powerful statement reminded us why our fights have to be intersectional to be just.
Survey reveals: much left to be desired
ETF’s Youth Committee survey results, presented by ETF Policy Officer Manuela Kropp, painted a troubling picture of workplace discrimination, with LGBTQI+ workers reporting persistent misuse of pronouns, stigmatization, and harassment. The findings echo EU-wide data showing 38% of LGBTI people experienced harassment in the past year.
But the results left much more to be desired: only 48% of respondents feel that their workplace is inclusive and supportive of LGBTQI+ employees and many expressed discomfort about disclosing their sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status to their employer or colleagues.
ETUC Confederal Secretary Giulio Romani outlined the labour movement’s progress in his address on “Equalities and Diversity in the world of work,” while acknowledging significant challenges remain. Giulio Romani deplored that the horizontal directive on equal treatment was withdrawn by the European commission. This must be called an easy win for the Far Right and is a clear setback. He further outlined how important remembering and memories are for our future – it is all the more important to have a celebration day such as the pride parade.
The conference featured powerful testimonies during the “Proud at work!” dialogue session, moderated by Celine Ruffie, Co-Chair of ETF’s Youth Committee, where transport workers shared their experiences of discrimination and resilience. They gave shocking testimonies of how they were physically attacked, excluded, discriminated and harassed, and how their union helped and supported them. Sara Tripodi, Chair of ETF’s Women’s Committee, led discussions on union initiatives promoting diversity within their structures.
Solidarity with Budapest
Throughout the conference, delegates condemned the Hungarian government’s anti-LGBTQI+ policies and pledged support for colleagues marching in Budapest Pride under a joint union banner.
“Our movement stands firmly against discrimination wherever it occurs,” said ETF General Secretary Livia Spera in her concluding speech. “From Paris to Budapest, transport workers are united for freedom and equality. Workplace culture is an important starting point to fight for equaltiy and inclusivity. We have to be aware of pinkwashing and rainbowwashing because it is easy to carry a rainbow flag but all the more important that we use our bodies to show that we fight for equality and dignity for all.”
Marching with Pride
An estimated 500,000 people marched on Saturday, celebrating all colors of queerness, with hundreds of thousands of people celebrating diversity and claiming rights and dignity for all.
ETF gathered at a joint truck by French unions and after two hours of waiting, cheering and anticipation, the pride parade started. Good mood and good music was accompanied by colourful posters with exclamations such as “I am proud to be a Lesbian” and “I am here because I support LGBTQI-people”. The joint banner of the organisers of the pride parade showcased the slogan: “Contre l’internationale Réactionnaire – Queers de tous les pays unissons nous”. After three hours of spectacle, we got together for a minute of silence which was organised to commemorate the victims of HIV, exclusion and stigma.
The conference concluded with concrete commitments from participating unions to implement new anti-discrimination policies and support systems for LGBTQI+ workers across Europe’s transport sector.
