**Nurse Launches Legal Action Against Trade Union Over Transgender Changing Room Dispute**
A nurse at the heart of a widely discussed workplace gender row has initiated legal proceedings against the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), accusing the union of a lack of support during her dispute over shared changing facilities with a transgender colleague. Sandie Peggie, who was previously suspended from her position following her objections to sharing a changing space with Dr Beth Upton, a transgender medic, is now expanding her legal battle, saying her trade union failed in its duty to back her during the ordeal.
The controversy began in 2024, when Peggie raised concerns about the use of what she argued should be single-sex changing rooms. Her actions led to a complaint from Dr Upton, alleging bullying and harassment. Peggie was placed on special leave as a result, pending an internal investigation by NHS Fife. That investigation cleared her of wrongdoing earlier this week, but the incident had already escalated to the point of an employment tribunal.
In her case before the tribunal, Peggie brought forward claims not only against Dr Upton and NHS Fife, but cited several breaches of the Equality Act 2010. Among her claims were sexual harassment, harassment tied to a protected belief, indirect discrimination, and victimisation. These claims have brought renewed scrutiny to how workplace policies in the NHS—and the role of trade unions—navigate the balance between transgender rights and the rights of women seeking single-sex spaces.
Speaking on Saturday, Peggie’s lawyer Margaret Gribbon sharply criticised the RCN’s response to the nurse’s predicament. In a statement, Ms Gribbon said: “The RCN’s failure to act like a trade union ought to has contributed to Sandie Peggie’s mistreatment. They have repeatedly failed to exercise their industrial muscle to advocate for female members distressed because they are being deprived of genuine single-sex spaces to dress and undress at work.”
Gribbon further argued that proper union intervention might have alleviated much of the distress Peggie endured. “Had the RCN fulfilled the conventional role of a trade union, it is less likely that Sandie would have faced the ordeal of an 18-month disciplinary process and having to raise legal proceedings against Fife Health Board,” she stated, underlining the long duration and emotional toll of the complaint process.
Following this public criticism, the Herald reported that Peggie is now pursuing legal action against the RCN itself, alleging unlawful discrimination as a result of what she describes as a lack of adequate support from her registered union.
The Royal College of Nursing, however, categorically denies the allegations. In a response to the claims, an RCN spokesperson stated: “We have responded to the claim, and we deny all the allegations from Ms Peggie.” The union maintains its stance that it acted appropriately and in accordance with its policies through the issue.
The dispute between Peggie and her employers, colleagues, and now her own union, has reignited the national conversation about how best to balance the competing demands for inclusivity and the protection of single-sex spaces in clinical environments. Advocates on both sides have called for greater clarity in workplace guidance, as well as more robust mechanisms for supporting staff who feel their rights are being compromised.
Observers note that this case highlights not only the tensions within the health sector concerning gender identity, but also raises important questions about the responsibilities of trade unions in defending members with differing and sometimes opposing beliefs. Legal experts say the outcome of Peggie’s legal claims, both against NHS Fife and now the RCN, will likely have broader implications for how such disputes are managed across the UK workforce.
While the case proceeds, Sandie Peggie’s ordeal has placed a spotlight on the complex landscape of workplace rights, equality legislation, and the sometimes fraught process of conflict resolution in sensitive areas of identity and belief. It remains to be seen how the courts will interpret the roles and obligations of unions and employers in these increasingly contentious issues.