Step Forward for Women
Socialist Organiser1982 1982-05-27Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 14 →
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to attend meetings around the country; call on the TUC to black Pritchards - the private firm which has moved in to take over Wandsworth street cleaning.
Also unanimously passed was a resolution calling for occupations, backed by 50 delegates attended a lively meeting of Health Workers for the Full Claim and heard a platiorm of speakers consisting of Anna Lunts (NUPE nursing steward, Prestwich Hospital), Martin Barclay (NUPE secretary, Cardiff RI) and Dominic Johnson (NUPE convenor, Churchill Hospital).
The meeting took place after the resolution for all out strike action had been carried.
Many militants at the meeting added their names to the list circulating, and pledged to take copies of the Health Workers for the Full Claim bulletin for sale, and contribute reports to it.
The bulletin will now be appearing on a regular basis. LET'S HOPE that the proposals for action on women adopted in Composite 17 are taken up by the union.
We need the demanded substantial increases in women's wage rates and improvements for part-timers.
If we as a union are going to fight for women's jobs, we need to make sure children are provided for - nursery provision is essential.
Women need to be more active in the union to make sure these policies are carried out.
It was shameful that NUPE school meais women on strike against the cuts were given only five minutes while the Wandsworth dustmen were givne 1½ hourskof conference time. We must take women's struggles seriously.
The appointment of a women's officer came up at still we've had no action on the resolution that was passed. We've heard rumours that a man will be appointed!
Worse still, the women's officer will not, it appears, have any real powers. S/he will be subordinate to a national officer.
We need more full-timers who are women - but again the officials argue that not enough women who are good enough come forward.
Perhaps if the officials took the resolution seriously they would.
Finally NUPE has affiliated to Women's Fightback. The resolution has committed the union to circulate a trial copy of the paper.
I hope women in other unions will note this example and fight for the same policy as part of the fight for their rights.
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