Fightback Steps up Struggle in Unions

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Women's Fightback: a year of campaigning competition with existing enough on the impact of groups such as the Civil new technolnow nn by Ann THIS year's Women's Fightback AGM was combined with the weekend school (see separate report by Glenda Bennett) and held at Wydale Hall on Saturday 29 August.

This meant that it was not a general conference of the membership and affiliates of Women's Fightback: attendance could only be limited.

Nevertheless, it was a useful meeting, which drew together and assessed the strengths and weaknesses of our work over the past year and discussed what initiatives we should take over the coming year.

We also discussed a comprehensive 'Action Programme' put forward by Anne-Marie Sweeney. This was an attempt to draw up guidelines for the policies Women's Fightback groups and members should be fighting for in struggles around jobs, health cuts, nursery closures, abortion rights, and so on.

The resolution drew on the experiences of, for instance, the women at Lee Jeans, whose occupation has been a beacon to the whole of the labour movement in the fight for jobs.

It resolved:

"In Women's Fightback we must not only lend support to such struggles that break out but offer a lead and guidance on the kind of action women can take to stand up for their rights, drawing on the experience of women who have made a fightback against the Tories"

Other resolutions filled in some gaps where Wom-. en's Fightback had not previously formally taken a position, although the paper had carried articles - for instance on gay rights and in support of the H-Block and Armagh prisoners' campaign in Ireland.

We also discussed in some detail how to strengthen our presence in the unions, where Women's Fightback has not played a prominent role, despite the work of many individual members.

We agreed to call a rank and file women's conference on unemployment as part of the campaign for a woman's right to work.

We hope to be able, from caucuses in at least a few of the unions. Delegates stressed that these caucuses should not be set up in Service Women's Rights Group.

A day-school on new technology is to be organised, and a substantial part of an issue of the paper devoted to new technology in the run-up to the school.

As Rowena Jewers, moving the resolution on new technology, pointed out, 'We are not doing en's jobs" • She also point- ULI Damed out the health risks that need to be studied in order to get the unions to fight for safety measures.

Rachel Lever moved a resolution on the Labour party and the way Women's Fightback members should consolidate the gains the loft has alaaad.. made in the Labour Party women's organisation.

As she pointed out in the introduction to her secretary's report, the Labour Party is already taking women's issues more seriously. For the first time, a party political broadcast has been devoted to women, while last year's Labour Party conference had its first ever debate on women's rights.

Women's Fightback's influence has helped to push the party along this road, but a great deal more remains to be done, especially through democratising the women's organisations.

Many other resolutions were discussed and passed, and there was some discussion about the role and nature of the paper.

In retrospect, we should have organised the AGM separately from the school, in order to have had better representation and more women involved. Nevertheless, some constructive debate took place, and with the initiatives around the trade union conference on women's unemployment, the day school on new technology, and further work in the Labour Party women's organisation, Women's Fightback is set for another year of campaigning.

MORE DETAILS OF WOMEN'S FIGHTBACK Contact Rachel Lever, 41 Ellington Street, London N7. 01-607 9052 ON TURKEY SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN WEEK OF ACTION Friday 11 September, picket of Turkish ambas. sador's residence and Chilean Embassy, Devon shire Street, London WC1.5.30 - 7.30. Saturday 12 September, 11 am, picket of Downing Street, 2 pm rally at NUFTO Hall, Holborn, London WC1.

ANTI-APARTHEID South Africa for Beginners Workshops: October 5 12,19 Archway Developmeni Education Centre 173 Archway Road 7.00 pm ANTI-APARTHEID MOVEMENT Benefit Caxton House St. John's Way Saturday 10 October 7.30 pm Admission £2 Skidoo, Mysterion:

Disco and Bar BIRMINGHAM SO Classes September 20, 7.30 America's leadership of the advanced capitalist world Oct. 4 at 7.30 American working class.

Contact 021-429 for venue East London Theresa Shannahan

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'Which Way Forward Speakers: Alan Thornett.