March for Women's Jobs

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Local committees across the country have beer organising for months for the Women's Right to Work march this Saturday (leaves County Hall, London, 10.30am) and the Labour Party: Women's Festival that afternoon (Battersea Park, noon). And then what next? WENDY

THE IDEA of a women's march for jobs provides exciting challenges and possibilities to the women's and labour movement.

We in Women's Fightback are raising it for several reasons.

*The fight for equal and positive working opportunities for women is not an issue which will fade away after 5 June. On the contrary, it will be even more necessary to fight. The Tories will try to tighten the screws by hacking away still further at hard-won rights and creating still more unemployment.

Tebbit's Law

*As we have pointed rut before, the new couploy, will make ess make Jarder still for women to vin advances through trong union organisation nd industrial action.

*A women's march will provide a focus and impetus to build on the mass support we get on 5 June.

This support will come from women everywhere - active in groups, campaigns, unions and Labour Party Women's Sections.

Support

*The People's March for Jobs generated a fantastic amount of 'grass roots support in the areas it passed through.

The idea came from rank and file trade unionists in Merseyside. Although it was "taken over' by trade union bureaucrats, it was the support of rank and file unionists and activists which ensured its success, and the massive degree of solidarity and support from the people the marchers met en route.

We can build on this goodwill, linking

MUSTILL reports.

together men and women workers, employed and unwaged, black and white, labour organisations and community groups, trades councils and Labour Party branches — in a new and exciting way.

And we can make sure the Women's March is not subject to the same bureaucratic grip as the People's March.

À women's march for jobs would involve women in all areas from all walks of life in a venture which would give rise to new opportunities for political discussion, forging links, learning through experience, challenging both the Tories and the trade union leadership which consistently refuses to treat women's issues seriously and take any initiatives.

The biggest Planning a march will provide us with an ongoing opportunity to focus our energies and anger into something constructive, and to learn and get together during the process.

Let's start working now for the biggest women's demonstration for our rights this country has ever seen.

Shon YOUNG Meeting called by the Action Committee for a Woman's Right to Work to discuss plans after Saturday July 3, from 11am in Manchester.

Open to delegates from local Action Committees and all others interested. IWOMENS RIGH I0 WORT