not exist.
But how important is it that the trade union movement as a whole fights around the issues raised in the Charter? Without birth-control facilities the working lives of women are interrupted unexpectedly-and This includes their work in trade unions, Without nursery and creche facilities it is scarcely surprising that women with young children find it impossible to attend union meetings In occupations like those at Maclaren's, the lack of nursery facilities meant that the involvement of women with children was restricted by their family commitments. In a similar way, all the other demands in the Charter have immediate relevance for women workers.
FIERCE OFFENSIVE
Over the summer these issues ane likely to assume greater importance as women find themselves faced with redundancies, the need to struggle over equal pay, and the problems of low pay in a period of inflation. At a local level, isolated workers will face a fierce offensive by employen, trying to recoup their losses from the last few months and prepare for the autumes oftensive as the rational claims are lodged.
Firms already suffering from foreign comperition a The effocts of the three day week will he going to the wall in droves, And these smaller firms often employ women workers-who they feel will cause Tewer industrial problems and whose Jabour is cheaper, The big monopolies, such as the Beaverbrook newapaper group, where large numbers of women ure employed in clerical departubents, have aircally started to chop off the dead branches with callous disrepard for workers jobs. In past periods of high unemployment the trade union movement has often refused to protect women workers wice men are standing in the dole queue, The possibility of a strong fight against the resulting redundancies in this This Charter was presented last week by the London Trades Council. It was unanimously endorsed at a conference of the socialist current in the Women's Liberation Movemeat, held in Oxford on the week.
end and attended by over four hund Ted warpen.
We pledge ourselves to agitate and organise to achieve the following aims:
The rate for the job, regardless of sex, at rates negotiated by the trade unions, with a national minimum wage below which no wages should Tail.
Equal opportunity of entry into occupations and in promotion regardless of sex and marital state.
Equal odecation and training for all occupations and compulsory dayrelease for all 16-19 year olda in employ. deterioration of previous conditions, the Working conditions to he, without same for women as for men.
The removal of all legal and hureauгдат со телапока, mongayes, penson schemes, taxation, passports, control over chilaren, social security payments, aire-purchase arcements. 6) Improved provision of local authority day nurseries, free of charge, with extended hours to suit working day nurseries. More nursery schools.
18 weeks maternity leave with Tull nett pay before and after the birth ofa live child; 7 weeks after birth if the child is stilibora. No dismical during pregnancy or maternity leave, No loss nd security, pension or promotion pros Family planning clinics supplying free contraception to be extended to cover every locality, Free ahortion do he readily available.
Famur allowances to be incceks to E2.50p per child, Inctading the first 10) To campaign amongst women to take an active part in the trade anions and in political life so that they may exercise influence commensurate with thiir namhers and to campaign amongst men trade unineists that they may work to achieve this aim. of them showed up.
the police and deported.
bis union. In fact, until a few monebs ago he was the ALEW contenor at the STC factory in North London take part in an 'Open Door' TV. programme made principally by the National Committee of Trade Unions against Racism. But nobe They gave various reasons Several were afraid of losing their job. Some were scared of antagon ising their union. Most said that if they were identified they or their was voted out relatives would be picked up by One of the white participants in the programme, which was shown on Monday and is to he repcated on BBC-2 next Sunday at 4.35 pm, considered it best not to mention He had been convenor for 12 years, and he was the only white No 'open door" at Mansfield Hosiery, as gate is slammed in photographer's fac Stockholm, Sweden.
strike by West Indians last summer, over the refusal of white machine setter to train a young West Indian.
Although the AUEW reluctantly made the strike official, the white shop stewards scubbed. And it wasn't the stewards who lost their credentials. It was the convenor who In the circumstances, his relue.
tance to name his union is understandabic, It is also a massive indiesment of the trade union movement.
Through a series of interviews, the programme brings out very sharply the lack of official support which has been given to a whole series of strikes by black und Asian worker, which leave taken place since the Indian workers at Mansfield Hosiery Mills in LaughRED BOOKS: Revalutionary literatureMarx, Lenin, Tratsky, Eastern Europe Third World, Incland, Women's Liberation. Ble Renshow Street, Liverpool, TuesFri: 12.30 3pm. Sat: 11am -3pm. GAY WOMEN'S CONFERENCE: To be 28 Apeil. Please sond all ideas, suggestions, papers. for discussion, applications etc to: Sherry Meyrent, Keynes Callege, University of Kent, Canterbury, or whone Cathy McFerran at Canterbury B0614.
BENGALI FRIENDS in Europe and alsehere, for Bengall books and Larai (Fourth International paper), contact: Bengali, Mulladen, Box 3274. 10365 NOTTINGHAM RED CIRCLES: Wide tonging scries of discussions based on the borough suecessfully fought for the right to train for stilled jobs, in the winter of 1972 At Coventry Art Castings, for instance, where the defeat of a 13week strike is described on the centre pages of this issue of Red Weekly. At Crepe Sizes in Notting ham, where the T&GWU did not make a strike by Pakistant against an 84-hour week official.
The appalling and discriminatory conditions which are imposed on the vast majority of black and Asian workers are vividly described, and behind it the growing determination of these workers to resist them. As Benni Bunsee, secretary of the National Committee, explains Immigrants no longer see them selves as immigrants. They feel they belong hore. This feeling has released a tremendous amount of energy and with it demands for equality."
Marxist THE FANTASTER SANG MERLE Available from: RED BOOKS.
97 Caledonian Road, London N.1.
politics of the Faurth International Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday in the month at 8 pm in the Lion Hotel, Clumber Street.
HARROW/HILLINGDON Socialist Women's Group forum at Northwond Hills Primary School, 1 April at Bom: Teach-in and Street Theatre an Abartion". More information: Sue an 01-863 2294 MEN'S LIB: Men Ageinst Seniam Confer ence, weekend 67 April at Leads Poly. For further informatian, write to Men's arnup, 153 Woodhouse Lane, Leeds 2. TARIO ALI on Racism. Repression and the Labour Movement"-Kilburn & North Brent IMG publie meeting at the Crown' Cricklewood Broadway. NW2 at 7.30 pm Thursday 4 April.
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held at University of Kent at Canterbury, from Friday evenina 26 April to Sunday