WOMEN have been leading current struggles against the Tory government; so it is hardly surprising that the women's conference emerged in the vanguard of the struggie for socialist policies in The media chose to concentrate on incidents children which women left on the platform per childcare This viral childcare. This 1ssu long by the labour too long labour movement, but lne press emphasis obscured the debates at the forefront of delegates' disgust at Foot's backing for Thatcher's war; their the hunt; and their demand Ior a sav in the Labour Part a delations.
between Icialiull the unions and the Labour Party delegates 1 all as theme throughout the discussion. Yet what was how can women secure imprementation policies they won? Women ICCU over aren own organisations and Tentesene women — in labour movebodies.
DUI democracy can only be effective if it mobilises the Trade Union delegates to the conference were as follows:
NUPE LUEW (TASS) UCW iMWL ACTT NUR NUAAW POEU Bakers, Food APEX Allied Trade: NUPE Most trade union delegates are elected in their regions. find out about delegates involved in the Party? Make sure they give in Regional Labour Party Women's Conference collective strength of women and the labour The mood of conterence was ior action. It welcomed a speaker from the NHS, and COHSE and NUPE delegates emphasised that their pay battle was of vital concern for women. The debate on Tebbit's legislation brought to light the imporlance or sondarity accion, Tebbit would outlaw the women workers need to secure their demands.
But the general desire did not find a focus the resolutions, which did not put forward clear campaigning priorities.
Part of the reason is to be found in the support of delegates TOT the Alternative Economic Strategy, which was pass ed by conference, and in val liculal the tion by some on the left on a search for a 'feminist incomes policy' in the AES framework. Believing that 'redistribution wealth within the family' LaKes priority over other struggles for women's and Class rights, they try and achieve this demand in a framework relies on government and state ac LUI mastead ormass ac tion by the labour movement and by women.
TGWU Tailor and Garment Workers Blind/Disabled AUEW EETPU your che Layour discussion reports back to union and i that your union is involved Badges Woman's Right to Work Woman's Right to Choose Available from Cardinal Enterprises, PO Box 50, London NI co This is my third Labour Party women's conference and there have always been motions trying to get the women's organisation changed. This year's conference has been big success; more people are becoming aware about the issues and the number of delegates is growing SOGAT voted against the Falklands resolution because our deezanon oD jected to the attack on the labour Icaucisio Collall ed within it and also the call for the unconditional withdrawal of the task force. My union ference passed quite good resolution but it did not cuce miese causes On 20, on democracy involvement of women objected paragraph 'e' because it interpreted the Charter for Equality jobs being. union isn't very impor It's different in the Lalit manual unions where you are constantly fighting against pay, closures and redundancies so that wind. ISSUCS democracy in the party for ¡stalled — have to be put into second place, because they're not impor tant but because there are other things that demand attention. I would agree that some union delegates are right-wing. I can only speak for my own union however. We've come out support of left-wing policies nominated Benn for deputy leader.
Many you're going to get rightwingers. Most unions vote according to their policies or abstain. On the question of democracy and the women's conference it had been discussed beforehand; people don't think important think some of the unions felt alienated in the
----- pull-quotes -----
Secretary of Edgbaston Women's Council