Her lawyer attributes the union’s conduct to gender ideology; the RCN denies this and says staff acted reasonably.
Peggie’s representative told an employment tribunal that the RCN’s alleged gender ideology prevented it from properly supporting her, while the union argued its conduct was reasonable and unrelated to her beliefs. The tribunal’s judgment is pending.
Verified facts: In closing submissions to an employment tribunal, Naomi Cunningham, representing nurse Sandie Peggie, argued that the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) failed to support her properly because her gender-critical beliefs conflicted with what she described as the union’s gender ideology. She linked that alleged failure to three complaints involving the RCN, including requests for legal assistance and support for single-sex changing facilities. The RCN denies the claims. Its barrister, David Hay KC, rejected the allegation of an institutional belief or culture opposed to sex realism and argued that staff acted reasonably, in line with their understanding of the law and established procedures. The tribunal has not yet issued its judgment.
Interpretation: The case turns on whether the RCN’s decisions were discriminatory because of Peggie’s protected beliefs, as her representative argues, or were instead ordinary, reasonable decisions unrelated to those beliefs, as the RCN contends. The closing arguments present fundamentally competing explanations for the same conduct, rather than an established finding that the union acted because of gender ideology.
The supplied report also states that Peggie previously obtained a partial victory against NHS Fife: a tribunal upheld harassment claims but dismissed allegations of discrimination, indirect discrimination and victimisation. That earlier outcome is separate from the claims against the RCN.
