A Bahraini is hoping to make history as the first woman to be elected to the Gulf Air Trade Union (GATU) board.

Hanadi Ali Budhaish, who works as an eProcurement specialist with the airline, will go head to head with 23 male candidates during the contest on Wednesday.

The 39-year-old, who has Master's of Business Administration degree in information technology, says it's high time women joined trade unions to play an active role in decision making.

"My main goal is to serve all workers regardless of their nationality or gender in the company," said the Gulf Air Labour Unity List party candidate, whose key priority is to set up a crche or nursery for union members.

"This will help all union members and their families by having this facility and we also want to set up a health club in co-operation with Gulf Air."

Ms Budhaish said creating equality among staff and rejecting all kinds of discrimination were also high on her agenda.

"I certainly want to promote women's rights and make sure they are at a par with men," she said.

Last month, she created a stir when she claimed union members were being forced to choose between their religion and attending a key meeting to shape the future of the organisation, which has close to 1,200 members.

It had been called to discuss how future union elections would be conducted, but clashed with evening prayers during Ramadan.

Ms Budhaish was among disgruntled unionists who alleged that the old union had a hidden agenda and was politicising union affairs.

However, the allegations were later denied by GATU chairman Habib Al Nabbool, who said it had conducted the process in a transparent manner.

The Gulf Air Labour Unity List party is fielding nine candidates, including Ms Budhaish, in the elections.

"Our trade union went through different stages of being unstable, divided and segregated which makes it our ambition and challenge to unite all workers," it said in a statement.