TION O By CELIA PUGH and ANNE CESEK MALE PREJUDICES BOSSES equal value'.
pay increases' workings of the Their 21 week strike workers, union moveso-called be held at theme of 'ONE THE SEX * 30 MPs threatened a revolt against the Government over the shelving of the Child Benefit Scheme. * The TUC voted for specific amendments to be made to the Equal Pay Act, calling for 'equal pay for work of * Denis Healey said on the eve of the pay deal that 'we do not on this occasion have to provide for large equal * David Ennals described the fight to stop the closure of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital for women 'as a campaign for lesbians and cranks'. * The Parliamentary Select Committee looking into the 1967 Abortion Act called for more restrictions on women's right to abortion.
THEN THE WOMEN AT TRICO STRUCK FOR EQUAL PAY - THE FIGHT WAS REALLY ON!
shook the legislation, tribunal system and the compliance of the trade union bureaucracy with the Labour Government's Social Contract to their foundations. The publicity around the strike showed women everywhere that the struggle for. equality, far from being achieved, had only just begun.
That fight means-self-organisation; it means challenging the backward ideas of male trade unionists; it means taking on the Labour Government and the Social Contract. It means that winning equal pay without child care, equal opportunity, maternity leave, free contralegislation. ception and abortion on demand, financial and legal independence, the right to work, and the right to express one's own sexuality is no real victory.
It also means relying on one's own struggles rather than the promises of the Labour Government, and fighting inside the labour movement to win support for the struggle for women's rights.
Looking back at the last year, women have taken the lead in this fight. There have been many equal pay strikes, unionisation strikes, services, and campaigns against cuts in nursery facilities, closures of hospitals, and the attacks on women's rights to abortion.
Hundreds of cases have been submitted under the Sex Discrimination and Equal Pay Acts, though only a few have been won. effect of the Acts and discuss amendments to the The EGA women occupied their threatened hospital, women formed probably a majority of those marching on 17 November; up and down the country they have taken the fight into their own hands.
The Trico strikers drove home the message to the whole labour movement: Denis Healey was wrong, most women don't already have equal pay. His legislation didn't get it for them, and only women's own strength in struggle will.
George Rawlinson, a Sheet Metal Union steward moved the resolution at the Trades Council. He told Red Weekly:
our union branch has a polic against the cuts, so when the petitions came round at work all the blokes signed it. They didn't see it as issue. Everyone realises that the fee rise is a cut by the back door. They hope to price many parents out of the market and strikes against cuts in Unions have begun to monitor the More parents may refuse to pas rather than go through the new means-testing.
Those that do go through with it - a single mother can expect no iu earning £32 a week has been asked to pay the full f11 a week. This will make it uneconomic for women to go to work, or it will drive them to using unregistered babyminders.
George Rawlinson told us: Preston Trades Council called an emergency puone meeting last wech discuss the nursery campaign. Fifty people, mammis women turned u and an action committee has been set We aim to get the parents involved, organise factory-gate and shop. ping precinet meetings, and continue to circulate the petitions. We're also hoping to force the County Association of Trades Councils to call a regional demo.
The Labour Group on the County Council knew of the proposed inc reases way back in May. While consistently opposing them in words. they organised no seriou action or campaign against them nor did they make the facts figures fully available to the local labour movement. Fifteen hundred parents may now have to literally pay the price.
campaign which has now begun almost at the eleventh hour must be stepped up if these savag cuts, a real blow to women's rights. are to be defeated. But Ron Willi-
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1 WOMEN- YEAR ON