Strikers Sacked

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O WA TRADE GORINN ELOP Siobhan Lanigan, the sacked shop steward at the centre of the unionisation fight at Foyles bookshop in London, will be among those speaking at The conference is designed as a focus for organ. ising women to change the unions on many fronts and challenge their present leadership.

It is open to women either as individuals or as delegates from any group, workplace organisatoo. branch or women's group at local, regional or There will be an all-day creche. Workshops on various topics under main groups: Pay; public sector and the cuts; jobs; fighting sexism: racism The conference fee is £3.50 (£2 for low-maçer or unwaged non-delegates). Credentials from 41. in THE BOSSES at the Rulecan clothing factory in Runcorn sacked the whole workforce last week.

TATI OVER the last few years, the demonstration outside Armagh Jail, in Northern Ireland, in support of the women prisoners there, has become the main event marking International Women's Day in the British Isles.

In 1979 in Ireland a group of women, mainly from Dublin and Belfast, The 70 women came out on strike when they discovered their £50 fall-back pay - the minimum wage held a peaceful demonstration on March 8 in solidarity with the women prisoners in Armagh Jail. This demonstration was broken up violently by the RUC and 1l of the women were arrested and charged.

Two of the women were imprisoned in Armagh Jail for non-payment of fines.

On International paid out by the company was to be axed. This meant that pay packets went down to about £30 and in "anр..л.

Women's Day 1980 over 550 people (including : 200 women from England, Scotland and Wales) attended a protest at the prison. In 1981 an even larger number gathered outside Armagh Jail on the same day and solidarity greetings from all over the world were read out.

This year, too, women are going over from Britain Rachel Lever presents some ideas some cases to £15 The women agreed to a 12 SAY to join a (mixed) demonstration outside the Jail.

March 8 has been international Women's Day since designated by a women's congress in Copenhagen in 1910. The day was chosen in honour of a militant march by women garment workers in New York in 1908.

had already month wage Last year in Armagh and the Third World.

Ellington Street, London N7 lie freeze, and some had even taken a wage cut, in order to keep their jobs...

The boss, a Mr Rattle. refuses to recognise the union (NUTGW) and claims that the strike was wholly due to 'outside trade union interference'.

He has put big adverts in the local paper for new workers and is paying them ts, £s more than the minimum wage he has Jus: taken from the striking women.

Non-union

Most of the work at the Runcorn factory has been sent to a non-union factor in Kidsgrove, Stoke on Tren: where workers are putting in overtime to get it done.

Pickets outside the factory have been successtul in turning away a lorry load of cloth and support has been won from Runcorn Trades Council. Collections and support for the picke: line have been given b workers in Bass Charingioz and ICI in Runcorn.

And dockers are being approached to black -ins plies of cloth.

Pin money

women at Rulecar say:

"We do not work fo: 'pin money' and are dete: mined to stop Rulecan te coming the type of swea: shop that gives the clothing industry its rag trade image We need your support.

"If Rulecan succeed: with treating us in this was it will encourage othe employers to do the same.

Support the picket line i Picow Farm Road, Runcom and send donations anc messages of support ic NUTGW, Room 46, 62 Dak Street, Liverpool 2.

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