respectable feminism' On the face of it, the Labour Party's plan for a Women's Rights Ministry could lead to a big step forward for women. The plan is inspired to a large extent by the Ministry for Women set up in 1981 by the Mitterrand government in France. But, as FRAN RAYNER
Labour's Ministry for Women The risks of argues, it the pitfalls of the French Ministry are to be avoided, Labour's proposals must be part of a wide plan of action for women's rights and for socialist change. LABOR'S SUESTIONS FOR a Women's Ministry, drawn up by MP Jo Richardson and her working party, first reached labour Party women's sections carlier this year, inviting their comments. The proposals now seem likely to be ratilied by the party's National Executive and to be unveiled in Labour's general dection manitesto as d package designed to attract women voters.
Praising the French experionce of Women's Ministry Jo Richardson's plan claims that not withstanding the recent changes in the fortunes of the Mitterrand government, the Ministry ... continucs to command the support of the majority of French women.
In lace quite the opposite is the case. Because of its sad record, the french Ministry for Women's Rights finds itself live ycars on with its survival in the balance and with no support from the teminist move ment or from the French left. It has been part of a socialist' government which has presided over cuts in crêche provision, moumed major attacks on abortion rights and made it casier for employers tosack male strikers during industrial disputes and substitute part-time women workers on the lowest wages.
From the start, the Ministry has been decountable to no one but President Mitterrand. It has proved timid and apprehensive i cach step, introducing cconomic planning proposals, including quotas, intended to promote sexual equality, yet lacking the political will on clour to push for their enforcement when the bosses complained.
In any case, commitment to women's rights never became a central feature of the workings of the other government depar ments. For esample the publicty push bos the Women's Ministry stressing contracep tion rights was never backed up by the provision of the necessary contraception facilities. Worse, it was effectively negated be inducements to women, introduced by the government as a whole, to produce more children and stay at home.
Minister for Women's Rights, Yvette Rowdy, smiled benignly in television adverts promoting equality in the workplace. Meanwhile the Prime Minister was busy taxing the salaries of women eleaners. The Ministry urged an end to wage differentials between
'the Ministry has been
accountable to no-one
but President Mitterrand men ind women. Yet when women workers came out on strike for this demand at the French multinational firm 'Ettilor' in 1982, the governmen gave its blessing for the company to preserve its profits by moving some of its operations to the Philippines Mitterrand with Yvette Roudy, Minister for Women's Rights
lesfemm MINISTICE DES DROITS DE LA FEMME O
The French Ministry for Women's Rights has been at best a bystander and at worst complicit in a whole series of attacks on the working class in France. These have been conducted under the guise of government and employers achieving greater 'flexibility' of the labour force. Flexibility measures have left young workers, immigrant workers, scasonal labourers and part-timers extremely vulnerable and have hit women especially hard.
As a concession to the employers in return for an agreement on a 39-hour working week, the government and union leaders allowed the lifting of previous legal restrictions which had protected women from weekend and shift work. The Ministry for Women passed over this in silence
Most significant, it performed a complete about-turn on the policy of part-time
Will working class women benefit from a ministry? working enterung oflice Kre daimed: Dan time work is delero which, it in as institutionalised, will lend 1o Women becoming marginalised. Yer in 1983 the Mitterrand governmen introduced tox inducemens for emplovers that cabled them to create more part time jobs and split
'Richardson's proposals
present a largely organisational package' existing fuil time jobs into part time Wette Roud then decade For me part, 1much preter a woman working part time to a woman not working at all. li response which, more than and other, lost the Ministe its support and credibilin among women and with theled of the labour movement.
So what of the Minisere's future? Exon hotore de Card Socialis Parts dos ins majora in chas de's elections, the tale ot - 1O it Voices to Women's Rights was in
IS SE HAO RUPERT'S REWARD- HAN MI* MILLAS MONIT THE SACK! * it in tie Tiente doube. Is badge lin reed end is .. barond 1ss prinn are willing do tagh lo All in all. In commitmont to othe the Minion kn emper symbol In dote in tale has helped parties in france to hallene demon being in the labour tone To ponde sim the let muse doe Ministry and in e one article in thir discussed the peop hotore it arrived. The aeropeane mis this Minist dor Homen issed an important step lorand, ollain for instance the desd Action Commite il! 10 thelm Pan should brade decle then on representdise", lander lot the p'er: demands dr listen: ri
Women's Rights. suggested. Thoy have resources'. • 1'1:10 i prople Women here become on right sing and tonscist aid autonomous Histophie en Britain i Wann's which trade unions. ligustry many opportunies. :!. Women's tea women in !! these in the 1:1
However, Jo Richardson's proposals, as they stand, present a largely organisationa package without any political tocus. They knowledge the growing strength of women's demands while conceding as little •is possible to them.
A 'small but high-powered' ministry of politicians, civil servants and lawyers is
would decide political priorities 'as appropriate. Regional units would bring together trade unionists, Women's organisations, employers and government bodies to decide and oversee the regional implementation of policies for
A small dose of ill-defined contract compliance would be introduced along with moves towards cquality in jobs, training, education and taxation. The achievement of all this depends on "political will', say the proposals, but they leave it at that.
A crucial omission from Labour's plan is any mention of abortion rights. Absent, too, is a clear commitment to oppose any future
'Labour's Ministry, we are
told, would have "resources"' measures on part-time work which could increase the vulnerability and exploitation of women in the labour force.
Labour's Ministry, we are told, would
But this has to mean budget. A Ministry for Women without mond of its own would be uscless.
Positive discrimination and quotas should be introduced in training schemes funded by the government. Powers of contract compliance should betightened up and should be subject to effective sanctions.
The now Ministry's policy-making would have to involve women and be accountablo to them otherwise decisions would be made I civil servants. Regional units should have • majority against employers with an important say given to women representatives from the trade unions.
Unless we fight for these objectives and develop them, Labour's Ministry for Women's Rights would achieve the political arancement of women at a superficial, barcaucratic level only. This may satisty someot the soft left. But it will do nothing to
women's organisations with a strong working class base such as Women Against Pit Closures which are raising far-reaching demands. Nor will it assist those raising feminist demands in the
The French experience shows that a Women's Ministry operating in a political context where the working class is suttering monslaught, is not only rendered powerless do prevent attacks on women's rights but can anally be used to provide a cover of respectable feminism' for these attacks. That is why it is so vital for the left in Britain 1o link the fight for women's liberation to the fight for socialist change and make sure that any future Women's Ministry becomes in ally, not an obstacle, in that process.
INTERNATIONAL. No. S july/August 1986
Pushing from the outside