Socialist Organiser

The weekly of the fused Workers Socialist League, July 1981 to April 1984

[rights, and, most centrally, the attack on our…]

Socialist Organiser no. 67, 7 January 1982 · scan p. 5 · about 852 words

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rights, and, most centrally, the attack on our right to work. In March 1982 we will be calling another vitally important conference. Against the background of these Tory attacks - and many more since then - and with the experience we have gained in two years' campaigning, Women's Fightback will be bringing together hundreds of women trade unionists.

Plenary, introduction to conference Workshops on various topics under main groups: Pay: public sector and the cuts; Jobs: Fighting sexism; Racism & Third World. Workshops include: The Family Wage and the Right to Work Work; Sexual harassment; Childcare: community workplace, and creches for meetings and confera ences; New Technology; Gay Rights at Work; Low Pay; Working part time; Tebbit's Law; Homeworkers; Positive Action; Young women, apprenticeships, TUs and training boards, YOPs; Job-sharing, flexible hours; The NHS; Maternity and paternity; Language and behaviour; Status, gender and promotion; Benefits, unemployed and unwared women; Health hazards; Media Workshops grouped by trade union - how to take up these issues in your own union, and how to organi together after the conference.

FILMS: 'It's Just a Compliment, Luv' - Australian film about fightin! sexual harassment at work; and 'The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter' — award-winning film of women in war-time US industry. Followed by discussion led by women working in Wom in greater previous job stability, they were more likely than white women to be made redundant, and more likely to remain out of work for long periods.

The conclusions to be drawn from this rather gloomy picture are manifold. Chief among them is that expanding the economy and controlling capital alone will simply not do as a remedy for the problems women face. The goal of 'full employment' has always tacitly assumed full male employment, and this is a concept which must be challenged at every level. This conference is not intended simply as a grand get-together to air our grievances. Most of us are wel aware what's wrong: the union leaderships are conservative, passive except when defending the bureaucratic status quo, largely unelected and unaccountable - and on top of that, totally unrepresentative of their women members.

Women who have organised themselves and SATURDAY MARCH 27 10.00 Registration, Coffee 10.30 11.30 1.15 images; Manual Trades. engaged in bitter and difficult struggles are riot only sold out, but patted on the head and insulted to boot. And then these male time-servers have the nerve to boast of their efforts to 'bring women forward'.

We have to build a movement of women in the unions that actually represents our interests and fights against the vested interests and privileges that men - not all St, London WC1. Registration £3 the weekend or £1.50 per session from Critique, 31 Cleveden Road, Glasgow G12 OPH.

"The Socialist Society":

Foundation Conference, January 23-24, Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1.

More details c/o 7 Carlisle St, London W1V 6NL.

WOMEN Action Committee for a Woman's Right to Work National Organising Conference. Feb.20.

Contact: 181 Richmond Rd, London E8.

Sexual Politics Conference:

Feb.6-7, at Edinburgh University. Sponsored by NUS Scotland. Open to all interested. Starts 10.30am Saturday. More details from Glasgow School of Art S 041 332 0691. of them officials and eaucrats - have built around themselves.

Such a movement cannot simply focus on the democratic rights of women in the unions, because no-one ever organises in a vacuum. The spur to organising must be the issues and the problems we face and our needs as women which have been ignored for so long by the trade union movement or even made worse by its male domination.

We hope that in a number of unons, the atternoon workshops will enable women to set up permanent links for further action. We would also like to publish a det: ailed record of the conference so that many more women can learn from the experiences of others.

The conference is open to women either as individuals, or as delegates from any group, workplace organisation, branch or women's group at local, regional or nat-ional level.

There will be an all-day creche up to the end of the bop.

Leaflets are available now, so you can really start getting organized for the conference in your union. An advice sheet of things to do in preparation for the conference will be sent out shortly to local Women's Fightback groups and anyone who writes in for it.

Conference fee £3.50, £2 low-waged or unwaged non-delegate.

To: 41 Ellington St, London N7.

WOMEN'S FIGHTBACK.

SUPPORT ST. MARY'S Women's Fightback - 10p plus postage from 41 Ellington S London N7 ANTI-FASCISM Brons out... now! Andrews Brons, NF chairman and politics lecturer and Harrog ate College FE. Anti-fascist demunstration assembles college main building. 12.30, Wednesday January 27. * Details: Nick, 0904 56603.

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IN March, two years ago, Women's Fightback held its first conference. It had been called by a small group of women, with the support of two dozen other campaigns, to respond to the Tories' attacks on women: the cuts, the Corrie Bill, the Immigration Rules, the curtailment of maternity and trade union

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