#undc23 The first debate at Conference rightly focussed on our over a million women members and especially our lower paid women members.
The motion from the National Women’s Committee highlighted the barriers that these women face in the workplace and in the union including lack of time because of caring responsibilities, lack of facility time from unsympathetic employers, unwelcoming branches and activists. Black women may be disproportionately affected.
Conference voted overwhelmingly for a range of measures to increase participation of low paid women, supporting them to become active in all aspects of the union and to address the democratic deficit.
Supporting the motion on behalf of the NEC, Scotland member Lyn-Marie O’Hara told delegates of the key importance of low paid women in our union.
“They have such an important role to play – not just in big campaigns but in our every day work supporting our members.”
To highlight this, she spoke of how the involvement of one of the low paid women in her branch equal pay campaign had been great for the branch but also how that member had been able to develop her self-confidence through her union role and was now representing members and her branch at this conference.
Lyn-Marie said, “One minute she was very quiet and working away in the background. The next she had grabbed the megaphone at a protest outside council headquarters and was shouting at councillors to pay women their worth.”