CAMPAIGNING AGAINST SEXISM

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: april 2010 :: RMTnews 22 Conference chair Mandy Evans, Swansea No.1, welcomed delegates to this year’s Women’s Conference, held in Sheffield last month. The two-day conference, held on International Women’s Day, combined plenary, workshops and guest speakers. Becky Crocker, Camden No. 3, proposed a motion on sexism in the transport sector, calling for the council of executives to carry out a survey amongst women members to get a picture of the experiences that they face. Based on the survey’s findings the motion instructs the union to train all RMT Reps on how to challenge sexism at work. “I would like to see a national campaign against sexism, with the union behind us,” Becky told delegates. Supporting the unanimously endorsed motion cleaner rep Clara Osagiede, Camden No. 3 said that the issue was of particular importance to her colleagues. “Cleaners face discrimination as women, managers get away with sexually abusing women, who are invariably migrant workers. Reps should be trained on how to tackle this,” Clara said. Women’s safety in the workplace was high on the agenda with a motion on the wearing of name badges. Gemma Brady, Central & North Mersey, explained that frontline staff can be put in danger by a passenger with a gripe, long after an incident has passed. “You can easily look someone up if you have a grudge against them. If you feel that your personal safety is at risk then you shouldn’t have to wear a name badge,” Gemma said. Conference condemned the fact that this winter’s adverse weather conditions meant that employers required staff to take unpaid leave if they were unable to get to work. The issue disproportionately affected women, as they more likely than men to have childcare responsibilities. Schools were often closed because of the snow and many women were forced to take unpaid parental leave. A number of guest speakers addressed the conference. Local MP, Ann Cryer, talked about women’s rights’ issues that she had fought for in parliament. She explained how, as the MP for Keighley, a town with a large Asian community, she had come to be a leading campaigner on the issue of forced marriage. “When I was elected 13 years ago nobody talked about forced marriage, but I had Asian women coming to see me saying that they had been tricked into marriage” Ann said. Ann told conference about the new legislation that she had pushed through parliament last September which now protected women against forced marriage, with 100 women making use of the Act so far. RMT general secretary Bob Crow gave a roundup of the union’s current work and campaigns. He said that the economic downturn was far from over and that union members need to be prepared for the times ahead. “Big attacks will take place after the election. There will be attempts to make cuts. Either the Tories will bring in quick cuts or Labour will bring in slower cuts. In Ireland public sector workers have already had pay and pension cuts and they are trying to impose the same thing in Greece,” Bob said, CAMPAIGNING AGAINST SEXISM RMT’s annual women’s conference meeting in Sheffield discussed sexism in the transport sector