THE WORKING Women's Campaign has issued a call for a rally around the theme. 'One Year On From the Sex Discrimination Act — Rally For Women's Rights'. It aims to assess the impact of the legislation in the light of the many struggles which women have been engaged in over the last year.
STRUGGLE One such struggle involved women van drivers Nova Young and Gwen Atkins, who after a ten week strike have just won union recognition and a £6 pay increase at Chloride Gaedor, Dagenham. There are no men drivers at the Dagenham depot, narter Their jobs workers".
nOW many women at blatantly clear.
charges have Officer recommencation Who is neidine me teachers Is, tor instance presents his but at the firm's one in Catford there are.
- nig1er sale Ones described as "sales delivery drivers', while the women at Dagenham are delivery As in other cases, legislation did not automatically give the women at Dagen han equality. The Equal Pay and Sex Discrimination Acts are almost a year old When they were first introduced women greeted them as a great gain. But it is time to take stock. The Trico showed that it was militant action and not 'equality legislation which proved decisive, and the real limitations of the legislation are becoming In the first six months of the Acts, 72 per cent of equal pay cases and 73 per cent Six teachers from William Tyndale Junior School are currently facing a disciplinary riounar in condon's county mals I nE been brought by Chief Briault, oi ine inner London Education Authority Schools' Sub-committee. The major indictment is that the Tyndale six took strike action, and tne trial Is proving as farcical as the charges Bill Nash of the Legal Action Group winner against ah a cool that just or Thine against all laws of natural justice.
the wavor He of SDA cases have been rejected by the tribunals. The experience in the courts around the sDA nas not been better. The situation remains that 65 per cent of women earn their living traditional "women's work', and 75 per cent work in jobs where men do not. In these cases women are still earning only half the average male earnings.
EVIDENCE There is evidence from such varied sources as Woman's Own and the Labour Research Department that employers are ariving unimpeacd unrouga massive gap: in the legislation. A recent study by the General and Municipal Workers Union has announced that he retires December and has no intention of allowing himself to be cross-examined afte then; and he has also stated that his court appearances up to that date will be • very Hunted As the Divisional Inspector during the dispute refuses to appear in court at all, it is clear that the ILEA are effectively sabotaging any possibility of the teachers being able to destroy th case acainst men even Gary Flatner, chairperson of the Tribunal, said on 24 November that, In all my ume at the bar have experienced any curtailing in Helene Hayman Members of Parliament:
Maureen coleunoun Tom Litterick Joan Maynard Audrey Wise Stan Thorne Syd Bidwell Norman Atkinson Brian Sedgemore lan Mikarod Prospective MPs Janey Buchan Viv Bath States:
*Even with union backing, women have lost their claims because of loopholes in the legislation, often provided by ambiguous wording and arbitrary and erratic decisions by tribunals.?
Women are beginning to realise the inadequacies of the legislation and take the fight into their own hands. Equal Day has become a real issue. Nor are the struggles limited to Women are taking up the fight against attacks on women's rights such as aborton, cuts in nursery lacmues and unem DIUYINCHE This is the background to the Working Women's Charter Campaign's call for a rally on 26 February at Alexandra Palace. It will bring together all those campaigns and people fighting for women's rights. Through speakers, exhibitions, it will enable them to pool their experiences of this fight in the light of the government legislation and the present attacks being made on women through cuts and unemployment. CONT SUPPORT Support is already growing for the rally. To make it a success, Weekly readers are asked to:
* Get resolutions of support through your trade union branch, Labour Party, student union, women's group, etc. and donate some money. Alexandra Palace alone will cost 11.000 * Organise day schools and conferences crossONE YEAR ON FROM THE SEX DISCRIMINATION ACT A RALLY FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS: February 26th, Alexandra Palace, 11am Rally organised by: Rally for Women's Rights Planning Committee many in the London rally.
legislation. activities. The theatre, stalls and bers and all Red No. satureav 4 December a.m.-o D.n Other organisations and Individuals London Co-op Political Committee National Union rubne employees National Exec. Committee Ernie Roberts AUEW executive member personal capacity Jack Collins NUM (Executive member/personal capacity) stuart holand • Westminster Teachers Association West Ham Trades Counci southwark trades counci Lambeth Trades Council Hackney North Labour Party Garnett College Students Union there been any equal pay disputes? How have cuts and unemployment cut across the fight for women's rights?
* Come to tne national planning meeting on Saturday 4 December at 2pm School of Economics (Basement TV Room), Clements Building, and discuss how to build for the There will be regular items in Weekiv so do send in reports on vou support the rally gets will ensure that it will be an important event in the life of the women's and IMG NOTES IG STUDENTS CAUCUS for members legatec JUS Confere 2 p.m. at Mancheste ING STUDENT CONVERS MEETING, TueS 2 p.m. at the National NATIONAL IM STUDENT SCHOOL for memsympamisers interested in omn IMG. Will be held in Birmingham, on weeken 8/9 January. All student members to attend NATIONAL HEALTH AGGREGATE for all NHS petals trom Natonal centre without. Nhs memDers Tol dIscussIon comrades and reoresentatives grom bran Details of venue trom National Centre. Pooler ME TRADE UNION COMMSSON SUnGaY 1 December 11 a m at National Centre:
IMG SCHOOL on 'The History of the practic and debates of the first three internationals o Women's Oppression . For members. Sunday 10 a.m.-5.30 p.m. Further details agenda, educational kits (£1.50 , 97 Caledonian Road, London N1
RED WEEKLY 2 December 1976
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Tyndale farce does
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