Annual Reports

Annual Report from the National Women’s Committee 2002 and 2003

National Representatives:

EC Member: Vicky Knight

Chair: Dona Feltham

Secretary: Kerry Baigent

Regional Representatives:

Region 1) Janette Ferguson
Region 2) Lynda Rowan
Region 3) Samantha Rye
Region 4) No rep
Region 5) No rep
Region 6) Staci Leach
Region 7) Helen Harrison
Region 8) No rep
Region 9) Joanne Winrow-Jones
Region 10) Fran Walsh
Region 11) Sian Griffiths
Region 12) No rep
Region 13) Pauline Layhe
Region 14) No rep

Representatives of the NWC participate in the following Committees:

FBU committees
National Fairness at Work Committee – Kerry Baigent
National Fairness at Work Strategy Group – Kerry Baigent
National Education Committee – Dona Feltham
National Health and Safety Committee – Sian Griffiths
Campaign Coordinators – Kerry Baigent

TUC Committees

TUC Women’s Committee – Vicky Knight

Fire Service Committees

ODPM Point of Entry Selection Tests Strategy Group – Vicky Knight 2002-2003/ Kerry Baigent 2003

Conferences/events attended with NWC speaking commitments

Unison Women’s Conference

WTUC Eastbourne 13th-15th March 2002 delegation

Ruth Winters
Vicky Knight
Janette Ferguson
Jo Winrow-Jones
Kerry Baigent
Sally Harper.
Heather Lawrie
Yannick Dubois

WTUC Liverpool 12th-14th March 2003 Delegation

Ruth Winters
Vicky Knight
Dona Feltham
Kerry Baigent
Sally Harper
Janette Ferguson
Heather Lawrie
Staci Leech

MSF/AMICUS women’s school 2003

National Assembly of Women AGM 2002 and 2003

Cuba Solidarity Campaign Women’s Conference 2003

TUC 8th – 11th September 2003

Other Conferences/events attended by NWC representatives

Regional women’s Committee meetings
Capital Women
EOC Conference ‘It’s ok to talk about pay’
Respect Festival
Pride
CSC Women’s conference
Sylvia Pankhurst Memorial Lecture
B&EMM School
Gay and Lesbian School
Childcare Challenge Conference
Rights of women Conference
Sex Discrimination Conference
Discussion Leaders

International Links

Palestine
A woman speaker from Palestine accepted an invitation to speak to the NWC at a meeting on the 23rd October 2002.

Cuba
During a recent visit to the UK by the Cuban Federation of Women Dona, Vicky and Kerry met up with them to maintain the positive links that had been made previously.

Colombia
We are in the process of organizing a visit from a Colombian woman which is being financially supported by the FBU. This is being organised in conjunction with Justice for Colombia and MSF. The two Comrades are going to be in the UK between 28th Feb and 12th March and will be attending the National Women’s School and WTUC.

Schools and events organised by the National Women’s Committee

Families and friends on the fireside

The aim of this event was to create an opportunity for friends and families of FBU members to get together, support each other and to form a network for the future. The speakers for the event were: Ruth winters, Andy Gilchrist, Kerry Baigent, Women of the Waterfront, Global Women’s Strike and Mary Davis. Despite a low turnout lots of questions were asked and the Northwest women went away with contacts and some idea of progression. The NWC would like to thank all of the speakers and Keith Handscomb, Dean Mills and Tam McFarlane for their support.

Annual Women’s School 8th-10th March 2002

40 Students attended

Annual Women’s School 11th – 15th April 2003

50 Students attended along with 35 Children.

Documents produced by the National Women’s Committee

‘Family Friendly Smokescreen’

‘Report from the NWC to the Fire Brigades Union reference changes to the 2.2.3 shift system’

‘Childcare provision within the FBU’

‘Review of childcare policy – response by the NWC’

Maternity Policy

Please see the FBU website for copies of these documents.
.
The National Women’s Committee also wrote the following documents which have been forwarded as FBU proposals for inclusion within a revised Grey Book:

• Job Share,

• Parental Leave

• Career Breaks.

Obviously it has been a very difficult year for everybody and the consequence of focusing on the pay campaign has meant that other issues, including some which are of importance to the NWC, have through necessity had to take a back seat. However the NWC has gone from strength to strength and we have played our part in a campaign that has been protracted and difficult.

The NWC has, at every opportunity raised the profile of the FBU dispute and in turn we have received fantastic support from women across the movement.

Kerry Baigent
NWC Secretary

© Fire Brigades Union
Bradley House, 68 Coombe Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, KT2 7AE
Published by Fire Brigades Union National Women's Committee