was all about!
It was ironic that the only contentious motion and the only motion to be defeated the Con was which could transformed the Womens TUC from force for women.
At the moment, far too many delegations to the Womens rUC are "chosen' and not elected. discussion is dominated by the policies and interests of the union leaderships. Rank and file women the union don't think the conference is important to the furthering of their demands All of this could be changed if prioritised motions from the conference were guaranteed a hearing at the TUC Women trade unionists should make sure that this becomes policy in their union. There was certainly sufficient port for the idea amongst this year's delegates to warrant the optimistic thought that the days of the Womens TUC as the womens talking shop were numbered.
TE occupying the Salford are women. their boss Robert VAL: He says women are unreliable tory. I have arthritis.
won't get one this year.
I certainly don't work for pin anyway.
choice.
much right as a man.
haven't.
jointly. We do in our house.
everything Why are women leading the strike?
him VAL: We've got the least to lose. tions in our job are so hard.
and the Tories?
because of this government.
minister is doing so badly for women.
though she's a woman. THE majority of workers who have been Royal Pride factory in They are fighting Nowak who has threatened to close the factory rather than give in to their demand for union recognition. Some of the women spoke to Socialist Challenge about the issues.
Why is the boss so prejudiced against women?
— he says we come in late or we have to finish early because of kids. It's not true. If some girls do have time off it's usually because of the conditions in the facSome say women shouldn't go out to work, but I have to go out to work to pay the bills and the mortgage. I mean, last year we managed a holiday — we hadn't had one for two years. We certainly money. My husband's on a two-day week at the moment SUSAN: There's no way we can live on my husband's wage. I don't work for pin money. Bui apart from that I need to go out to work. I also think that even if I didn't, I should still have the I won't have anyone saying to me that I have to stay at home. We've all got a right — I've got as We've had a couple of men crossing the picket lines and going into work and saying they have to because they've got a family to support — as if we They say it's alright for us because of our husbands. Well, I don't believe there's a man or a woman running a house. I think they both do it My husband collects the children, hoovers SUSAN: I think women put up with more but then come to boiling point. And you think — 'п not going to let myself be ruled anymore, not by him, not by any men who think they rule. I mean it's the women in there who run his factory for . The condiWe get half an hour lunch and no afternoon break. I think women will stick out for things - they're more resilient.
Do you see similarities in what the boss is doing VAL: Oh yes, he goes round at election times and tells us to vote Tory. He complains that no one wants luxury furnishings anymore. We tell him it's This government has changed my views in lots of ways. My life has changed because of prices, unemployment etc — it's like Thatcher's come into my house and changed my whole life around.
It's a real let down that the first woman prime But it's because she comes from a different class even South East Regional Council Trades Union Congress public meeting