Women's Action Committee, (LWAC) meeting in Manchester last weekend, launched its most important campaign for a number of years.
to elect the women's section of Labour's NEC, this year the took place at the end of a which has seen come struggles of women, orit at DO Lau the same time, virtually no gles ine leading role on women by the Labour ParThe Women Against Pit Closures movemen showed that women can lead the working Cass Since the ended WAPC has played a key role in fighting. for justice for sacked and imprisoned miners and in defending the NUM against the scat breakaway.
It has transformed the attitude trade unionists to the role the labour Unfortunately it made no impact at all on the Kinnock/Hattersley leadership of the Labour Party, except to reinforce their view that women were as dangerous to their as Arthur Scargill, LIVErDOUL Coullcil, the black section and Within the unions there is the beginning of a real shift in the influence of women. the recent Executive of the Tailor Workers Canell women swept the board taking 11 out of the national CxcCulIve posts.
tion the tradivote' of tional However, alongside these successes - and an amount Chullous rhetoric by Kinnock and no progress has otners -been made in making the more accountable representative of women.
The number of women celected to stand in safe seats is truly disgrace. Party conference even rejected the modest proposal that at least woman should be included every short-list for parliamentary selection.
The next parliament will show the sumifer of change in the number women in the PLP.
can be sure that the failure to represent women will be accurately matched by a failure to support and demands of LWAC are so This decisive, just women but for the whole future of the Labour Party.
Fundamentally there Organisation There is the approach of some other sections of the Tony Benn, the Labour Women's Action Commitee (personal capacity)
NUM, the black section, other MPs, unions and constituencies - that the potential function of the women's section of the Is as powerful organise women, give them collective voice and to forge an based on mutual support between women and other sections of the party.
The approach of Kinnock, the majority of the PLP, the majority of the unions and many constituencies, is that the Labour Organisation is a way to get women out of their hair, a place where the 'little women can get together and discuss their problems without interrupillig "real' DONELS. which takes place rest of the Party. While the section of the NEC is iust a mechanism to get some more of their supporters and 'yes' people onto the executive to ensure a built-in majority for the Labour right.
LWAC's platform, has overFirstly turn organisation Teal a ical demands une have been raised since the ference the tion NEC for by democratic contro seats. particular of the the five of Ene careers • illally dividual leading to Ical many go ahead put the women's organisation of the party on a collision course with the party leadership.
ference in •LWAC will be for TOT right Lauve All uniors.
campaigns that have committed for asked to counted by weight the The AGM Lallcd OI decision, the The issue must at every The constituency now, to nomination the conSUIC ference supported.
The greatest and most difficult task in the immediate months ahead going to be persuading the which support LWAC's demands to participate in the elections.
From this point of view there was a real set back at the LWAC AUM wiel women organised by London Labour see sur cessfully persuaded the meeting to remit a resolution proposed by the executive on trade union participation in women's conference. The resolution proposec LWAC's polic for trade union women to have bloc vote 'conference in accordance with membership by stitution.
put valous to that the aren't mean men controlled ference, there ried weight This major work with the tions.
resolution for the February.
LWAC the officer of the genuie women ILWAČ Briefing answers for LWAC 'open elections 'shadow' camagreed paign the new unity US CHOOSING FOR US Labour's conference WE WONT EVERYMO A WILL MOTHE • EVERY CH A WANT CHILD
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anyway, LWAC will then campaign for support for the women elected throughout the labour move-
In the fight for the Labour Women's Conference women's conference will hold elections