CLEARLY the long term aim of socialist feminists is to work out how the militancy of women can be fed successfully into the trade union moverent. This is something both the unions and the left are presently missing out on.
Both the creative approach and the commitment that women bring to workers struggles is desperately needed. There should also be a perspective of onentating the unions towards recruiting other women, particularty homeworkers and telesales workers.
The Women in the Unions conference, organised by Women for Socialism (WIS) and the Socialist Movement Trade Union Commitee (SMTUC), is Ikely to attract a small but important layer of women who are WHEN WE SET THE WAGES! active in their unions or who are in stuggles taking place at present -such as women involved in the Camden social workers' strike and the Pergamon dispute.
It has to be recognised that, par. ticularty at the moment, it is officult to reach wide layers of women trade unionists. What it may be possible to do from this conference is to start to build a network of women activists in the unions, in proparation for a bigger event in Autumn 1992.
Establishing a looser network would enable women to contribute ideas around what they would like from next year's event. it would also facilitate direct input of women's ideas into the SMTUC.
This is particularly important, given the low level of women's involvement to date, as women wil have much to ofer in temms ol ideas for the organisation's vinicn way Tor socialsis Bf Ere unions? conference in Juty next year.
This conference will be looking at the new management offensive, new techniques for mangoement and the ficht against anti-union legislation -all of which affect women in specilic ways.
The Women in the Unions conference coul also launch some initiative around the issue of low pay, or at least help build up some head of steam around the issue. No. 12 Nov. 23, 1991
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