14 GMB women from all GMB regions attended the TUC Women’s conference
Taking place over two and a half days at Congress House, the conference started on Wednesday afternoon with a welcome from the Chair Tracy Barbour – Community, who set the tone of the conference, followed by a short video honouring those who have passed away over the past 12 months, Brenda Proctor, Irene Stacey, Mary Compton & our Mary Turner. Tracy paid a lovely tribute to Mary, recalling how she helped her at her first Labour Party meeting in typical Mary style.
Over the course of the conference, motions were carried on a wide range of topics, including in work poverty, issues around menopause and the workplace, working in the gig economy, apprenticeships, domestic violence and sexual harassment at work. I am pleased that both GMB motions ‘Organising Women in the Gig Economy’ and ‘Mandatory Domestic Abuse Policies’ moved by Lorraine Parker Delaz Adjete were successfully carried. We look forward to working with the TUC Women’s committee on delivering outcomes on the motions.
Other speakers for GMB when supporting and seconding motions were Sarah James, Lorraine Winson and Fiona Heneghan.
We were moved by watching a film on the journey for abortion rights, followed by an open floor discussion on the topic with the film makers Jane Kavanagh & Lesley Hogart. 50 years after the Abortion Act was passed it is hard to imagine what these women went through and in some cases, are still going through because of back street abortions. What struck me about the filmed interviews was the fear these women had, not for their lives, but the fear of embarrassment if anyone found out they were pregnant. It is even harder to believe that this practice is still going on.
Conference welcomed many speakers including Mariela Kohon from Justice for Columbia. We heard accounts of women killed in their own homes for trying to make their lives and those of their fellow workers better, over 3,500 in recent years. Sharan Burrow, President of ITUC sent a video message which discussed the issue of sexual harassment at work, she sent solidarity greetings and a strong message – ‘Silence must never be a condition of work’
On the 9th March, Frances O’Grady, TUC General Secretary delivered her keynote speech to conference, sending solidarity greetings to sisters in Spain who have been on strike and our colleagues on strike in the UCU.
Frances talked about the 90th anniversary of suffrage for all. Women like ourselves who had fought tirelessly throughout the suffrage campaign for the right for women to vote. After a further 10 years younger women and working class women got the right to vote. Frances pointed out that none of our advances have been gifted to us, we have to stand up and fight for what we believe in with stamina.
She reflected on the #MeToo movement and stated that no matter what industry you work in, be it media, retail or a Trade Union, together we will not be silenced any more. Sexual Harassment stops now!
Frances finished by paying tribute to the BBC unions and NUJ member Carrie Grace who have exposed the gender pay gap at the BBC. It has been 50 years and women still get told, ‘you can’t have the same pay as men – you’re still being developed’ We must not wait for a change in the Law or a change in Government, we must go back and make equal pay top of the collective bargaining agenda, Women are more likely to be in a Trade Union, it’s our movement let us lead it.
TUC Equality Conferences
The TUC holds five equality conferences each year; they are usually scheduled between March and July. Each region may nominate a delegate to attend the TUC’s conferences for Women, Young Workers, Black Workers, Disabled Workers and LGBT+. If you would like more information about these conferences please contact your Regional Equality Officer.
