UGT Servicios Públicos has decided to take a firm step in defending the labor rights of the LGTBIQ+ collective on the occasion of International Pride Day 2025. And it does so with two tools that do not only aim to remain on paper: they seek to transform, from within, the working conditions of LGTBIQ+ people in the public sphere.
These are the “Protocols for the development of LGTBI rights in public services” (Download here) and a “Guide of recommendations for the negotiation of LGTBI Plans” (Download here). Two different but complementary materials, which aim to translate laws into tangible realities in our workplaces.
A context that continues to hurt: fear and discrimination
According to the report Towards inclusive workplaces published by the LGTBI Confederal Area of UGT in 2023, 40% of trans people hide their identity in job interviews. The reason? Fear of losing opportunities, suffering comments, discrimination or even dismissal. Nothing new, sadly.
And although legal progress has been made, reality reminds us that formal equality is not always real equality. Inclusion cannot depend solely on good intentions.
Regulatory advances: necessary, but not sufficient
The Law 4/2023 for the equality of trans people and the guarantee of the rights of LGTBIQ+ people, and the Royal Decree 1026/2024, which regulates equality measures in companies, provide important legal support. The law already mentions the workplace in its article 15, which is an achievement. But the question is: does it reach all corners of public administration?
From UGT Public Services, the commitment is clear: translate this legal framework into concrete actions, into measures that are discussed and applied in agreements, protocols and training. And above all, in decisions that generate real changes.
What do these two new materials provide?
The documents presented have an ambitious but urgent objective: moving from paper to practice. Because having rights is only the first step; Being able to exercise them without fear is what makes the difference.
1. Protocols for the development of LGTBI rights in public services
They establish clear lines of action to prevent discrimination and promote safe and respectful work spaces. They are designed to be applied in all types of public environments, from town halls to hospitals.
2. LGTBI Plans: Guide for negotiation
It is practical material that accompanies those who negotiate working conditions, helping them to include specific clauses to protect and make visible LGTBIQ+ people in collective agreements and equality plans.
Both documents are designed not only for union delegates, but also for anyone committed to defending LGTBIQ+ rights in their work environment.
What if everything wasn’t so simple?
Now, although these steps are valuable, it doesn’t hurt to look critically. What happens if the application of these protocols becomes just another symbolic procedure? How do we guarantee that they are truly fulfilled in territories or sectors where there is still resistance? Furthermore, there is a risk that these advances will become trapped in a bureaucratic structure that is slow and unreceptive to social change.
Good practices exist, yes, but we must also talk about how difficult it is to maintain them over time without continuous supervision and without a clear commitment from positions of power.
Because the fight continues (also at work)
Visibility, security and respect should not depend on the type of contract or the department in which you work. Therefore, beyond laws and guides, a profound cultural change is necessary. A change that can only be built with training, dialogue and a lot of political will.
At Rainbow, we celebrate these types of initiatives, but we also encourage our readers to ask themselves: What can I do in my workplace to contribute to a more inclusive environment?
