TRADE union women at the 1988 TUC women's conference pledged their opposition to the Alton Bill and their determination to support wide-ranging campaigning to ensure it is defeated. The decision included the commitment to 'exert the maximum pressure on trade union MPs to vote against the bill', a reference to the 55 Labour MPs who voted against Labour policy at the second reading of the bill.
the fight campaign.
Moving the who pose all the facility tion will always necessary, demanding positive free, facilities out the more reto surer contracepthe supporting motion, Megan also movement the colour adverts in papers supporting the was evente disgraceful that UlIC Dale against ana luc voting with al C support of woman's the She for this any future voting, respect conferences, manifestos, constituency parties unions they In the speaker after LCDICsenting the tors among others to deMPs, and out March. As delegate from the resounding applause such bills come equality seems to an academic MPs'.
loud apthe platform, hit out at the undemocratic sanctures within movement which DOLI lel LaDOul MPs ignore policy, allowed some in the union bureaucracy use personal power to limit supbeing organised tor AB The debate had followed a well attended FAB fringe meeting, chaired by Ada Maddocks from the TUC women's committee and at which Bernadette Hillen from USDAW and the TUC general council spoke.
John general scuiclal y GMB, sent a personal letof his ter to every memoer executive stressing the importance of mobilising for 19 March. The GMB has NUPE and the CPSA culate Produced have cirthousands leaflets. Tony Dubbins of the NGA sent a ICLICL every branch calling for support against Alton.
NALGO in particular has actively aided the FAB campaign nationally and circulated thousands Has of leaflets and posters.
In some unions the anti-abortionists alre organising counter-attack. In the CPSA, for example, where the right the union Wile ColLI US its pages have been used to attempt : to whip-up backlash against the leadership's campaign against Alton.
simply not tolerable the mass of LO women members to • have anything less than full, active to defence of the '67 Act and SUDOUL l for a woman's right to choose.
The sentiment decisions TUC indicate DOLI SOLIC leaderships MPs are being brought up sharply against this reality. It is leading many women unionists to organise ever more senousy challenge those power which make SUrECLUIC mockery of their policy The pro-death lobby IN January of this year the Society for the Protection of the • Unborn Child, and other self-styled 'pro-life' organisations ran hugefull colosive adverts expensive iwo page the daily press.
Accompanying the by now well-known picture of a dead foetus suspended in saline 1l t headline read: 'We've abolished the death penally tor murderers and ler rorists, shouldn't abolish . it tor 100?
The advert was signed MPs. But ot these no less than had voted for the return of the death penalty in either 1983 or 1987 the last two occasions on which it was put to the vote.
however us was not MPS ho vot when capital punishmen beer voted • on that is 71 per cent, voted in favour of the death penalty.
This is not surprising Anti-abortionist Roy Hat tersley MP, deputy leader of the Labour Party, wher questioned Guests all women wa FAB died as a result of septic reported responded 'They made their choice.
When will the anti abortionists drop their hypocrisv and stop calling us the murderers. They are quite simply the pro-death lobby
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declaration woman's right to choose.