Scottish nurse Sandie Peggie loses union discrimination case after row over transgender doctor
An employment tribunal in Dundee, Scotland, dismissed all three of nurse Sandie Peggie’s complaints against the British nursing union Royal College of Nursing (RCN) on 2 November 2026. She accused it of discriminating against her because of her gender-critical beliefs when supporting her in a dispute with her employer. PinkNews reports on the decision.
The dispute began in December 2023 at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy. Peggie objected to a transgender woman, Dr Beth Upton, using the women’s changing room. Following the confrontation with Upton, the nurse was suspended in January 2024 and sought help from her union.
The tribunal judgment lists three complaints: inadequate legal advice at the initial contact, refusal of legal assistance for a second claim against NHS Fife, and failure to seek all the requested assurances from the employer about single-sex facilities and protection for staff with gender-critical beliefs. NHS Fife is the regional public health body that runs the hospital.
Judge Melanie Sangster found that Peggie’s belief in the immutability of biological sex was protected under the Equality Act 2010, but had not influenced the union representatives’ actions. The tribunal found that the first representative followed his usual approach to a suspended employee; the refusal of further legal assistance took account of Peggie having her own lawyers; and another representative was handling her individual case rather than wider employer policy.
The RCN welcomed the ruling. As reported by Sky News, the union said its staff had followed procedures applying to all members and acted fairly and impartially.
Peggie’s representatives called the judgment worrying for trade union members: they argued that experienced union officers and lawyers, rather than the employee, should identify the legal basis for potential claims. Her barrister Naomi Cunningham argued during the hearing that “gender ideology” within the RCN had prevented it from properly representing the nurse. Peggie’s legal team plans to study the judgment and advise her on further legal steps.
In December 2025, Peggie partially won her case against NHS Fife. According to the official summary of that ruling, the tribunal found several of the employer’s actions, including delays in its investigation, amounted to harassment. It dismissed the remaining claims against NHS Fife and the claim against Upton herself.
