By an NCU delegate IN A MOOD of defiance at this year's Women's TUC, delegates decided now is the time to fight against the Tories attack on single mothers and to build the campaign for the repeal of the Child Support Act (CSA).
In a very powerful speech Audrey Wise MP, president of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW) moved the motion on the CSA.
It confirmed 'total opposition to any legislation which attacks carers claiming benefits in any way, plunges absent parents into poverty or fails to improve the situation of the children.
Punitive
The resolution recognised the punitive nature of the CSA and called on the TUC to 'draw up proposals which give real support to children and their carers, including...the setting of universal child benefit at a realistic level which reflects the true cost of caring for and supporting children; the establishment of state funded, quality, affordable childcare facilities'.
This motion represents a big change - last year's conference was split down the middle on the question.
There was a growing recognition that in the name of putting children and lone parents first this vicious Tory government does not care, and that the CSA represents an ideological attack on single parents and women in particular.
Socialist Outlook has always argued that this is the case and activists need to build on this change in mood and take the campaign into the wider labour movement.
The Transport and General Workers Union played a very important role in organising a fringe meeting on the CSA. In the context of the International Year of the Family they have also issued a Single Mothers' Charter.
Worst record
Despite all the talk about family values, the UK has the worst record in Europe on maternity, paternity and parental rights and public sector childcare.
The National Union of Teachers motion, seconded by the NCU, highlighted the alarm and anger many women feel at the way the government has attacked single mothers by linking them with the rise of crime and delinquency, school failure and truancy, and accused them of being a drain on state funds.
It stressed the hypocrisy of the government and rejected completely the myth that single mothers are irresponsible. It raised the question of providing support for single mothers who wish to go out to work - with a special emphasis on childcare provision.
Both the T&G and USDAW have also highlighted the need to replace the act with a system of support that benefits women and children.
Socialists need to discuss how to build an effective, united campaign to repeal the CSA which brings together all those who oppose it with the labour movement.
Activists should raise the issue in their unions putting pressure on the TUC General Council to organise a demonstration. We should also be pressurising the Labour Party to do more.
As a part of this process people should build support for the Conference on the Child Support Act taking place in April.
SOCIALIST OUTLOOK No. 59, 26 March 1994, Page 7