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2UU Page 14 Dec. 14, 1991 No. 13
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• copies of Socialist I Please return to: Socialig Outlook, PO Box 1109, London, N4 , OVER 50 women from a broad range of unions (MSF, NUT. TGWU, RMT, Nalgo, COHSE, NUU. NATHE, NUPE, NCU) attended the 'Women in the Unions' conference organised by Women for Socialism and the Socialist Movement Trade Union Committee on 23 November.
The conference almed to bring together active women trade unionists to assess the current situation facing women both in the unions and in the workplace, share start to develoo strategies so coland and extend women's position and ther rights. This was the first such meeting organised for many years.
Valerie Couitas. in the opening ple.
showed how the number women in work and in the wide unson movement has increased since the Second World War. The responded to thie - and the cacine n union membership-by making special efforts to recruit women.
Whie they have, to some extent, taken up issues which specifically atfect wormen, at the same time, in many unions, women's right to organise as women akin to unions is unce al tack. This is particularty the case where union mergers are leading to new constitutions and rules.
Jan Pollock trom Women for Socialism, for many years an NUT activist wetted the conference with the history of how women had fought in the NUT - and at times outside it - for equal pay and issues affecting women over the last 90 years.
The hidden history of wormen's miitancy emerged as a theme of the day. It was reinforced by the excelent video Needs Muet Wher the Devi Drives. This revealed that the legal right to picket had been won by women agrisentenced to hard labour for picketing.
Alled to this thame is the crucial questen or why women stillany did dedication is so easily lost after a struggle and why women are so poorly renresented within the structures of the The workshops focused in on these issues plus sexua harassment, doct
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