WTUC conference, 2010

Earlier this year in March this year I had the pleasure of being invited to the TUC’s Women’s Conference with the FBU,s women’s committee. What made this years conference exceptionally special was it was also 100yrs celebration of Women’s International Day. A celebration of the political, social, and economic achievements of women, and the continuous campaigning for women’s rights, and while we looked back over history and celebrated these amazing successes we see from the resolutions put forward at this years conference that campaigning for women’s right is far from over.
           

One of the main topics which ran through the conference was public sector cuts which all of the major Political Parties have promised with the general election looming. We heard how a report produced by the TUC shows that these cuts would hit female employment the hardest as 4 in 10 women work in the public sector compared to less than 2 in 10 men, as women view the public sector as offering secure work with a good work life balance with a decent retirement income – all which will be removed/reduced if deep public sector cuts go ahead.

Some of the resolutions put forward by the FBU included a motion on Domestic Abuse and a Motion on Afghanistan. The motion on Domestic Abuse was moved by Jo Byrne and highlighted the lack of adequate funded support services available to females suffering domestic abuse and showed there is an unacceptable postcode lottery of services depending on the area you live.

Vicky Knight moved the a motion on Afghanistan women, raising the awareness of the dangers for females eight years after the supposed fall of the Taliban, and highlighting the need for us as individuals and as unions, to lobby the UK government to put pressure on Afghan peers to ensure equal opportunities within Afghan society and public life.

Along with the motions highlighting some of women’s struggles today were as always inspirational stories; from women who were victims of BNP/Red watch attacks who spoke out loudly about the attacks instead living in fear, to international speakers such as Joyce Moloi Moropa MP (ANC) Chair of the South African Parliaments Public Service and Administration Committee. Joyce spoke of her continuous involvement in politics remembering back to her early involvement in the ANC youth wing and the impatience felt by younger activists about the need for change. Joyce was very frank about the fact women discriminated against through the apartheid suffered additional gender discrimination and particularly as working women, with the double burden of paid and domestic labour.

Joyce has been actively involved in building a women’s organisation within the ANC and South African Society, a project that means that within South African Political Structures women’s representation reaches up to 50% a figure proving that 20 years after the apartheid state was dismantled our sisters in South Africa have something to teach us as this infiltration into the political system at all levels is an amazing achievement.

The conference ended with a farewell to Professor Mary Davis the chair of this year’s conference who after an amazing opening speech on the importance of the continuous organisation of women and their fight for equality, sadly announced that she is stepping down from the Women’s TUC Committee. A history lecturer, author and well known socialist and feminist, she has been, and will continue to be an inspiration to women everywhere!!

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Published by Fire Brigades Union National Women's Committee