Led in the pavillion for the evening, when the all-male sion? The evening after day Women's conference.
tune. They couldn't have chosen a more apt keynote for the event.
Unless that conference does change, squandering the energy and experience of the biggest annual gathering of women trade unionists in Forget it. Discussions wish Debates?
county.
other unions? Maybe, corridors cafeteria queues, u you re шиску.
This isn't an argument to scrap me come. ence • 01 withdraw was decide in 1976 that the TUC Women's conference was an 'anachronism' and 'divisive' the state of current legislation fecting equality.
Because quit, NALGO women, leaders Ine Canoe azalls l sexual harassment, had to promote the Women's Advisory ComLOSI important one of the TUC A year later, in Scarborough, I was telling that yes, the same actions last year the publication of an excellent, phiet on the issue. Withdrawal's all answer, as NALGO's next conference will hear.
Inequalities in society Thatare widening under cher, the sex equal pay legislation have failed to make a significant impact. We need conforum for women trade umonists lo exchange experience, views and tactics. the better to influence the entire We need a better conference.
ritual and consensus the present version almost make it a parody of the CBI's.
sibility for their own lives.
All this is very Tory ...Feminists need have no heart-searching about recognising their natural This. year, every chair-for-life Marie vcal.
Patterson, CRr has agenda of about 50 motions, or waco less lall a handful likely to be The AdLOSL Committee, Which she chairs, has seen a succession of conference at which the only real controversial (lost) motions and sharp debate concern the format and purpose of Some justify the process as a 'training ground' for women. DUI GOes WOrK, what are we supposed to be rehearsing it's educational workshops role-play TUC wants to that's all right. But doesn't it say so, and give separate, well-organised aulludi conference too?
For the best part of two days, delegates endure the painful spectacle of one individual after another facing them trom behind a microphone in le grand conference hall, nervously reauing SCILLA eminently worthy matters Conceil workers. It's impossible to disagree with most of what's said except detail, most votes are overwhelmingly in favour.
Greeting USDAW delegates at Women's TUC It's very boring, as few seetales confident speakers, there's the thought-provoking, contrast debate. Why stick so rigid ly to such an intimidating, inappropriate format? An advisory conference to an advisory committee needn't be so constrained by formality throughout.
Some unions have been trying to get the clamps loosened. The NUJ others have proposed, for instance, rotating the chair and setting aside time for workshop discussions on key topics. Lost. one sallic goes (so far) for the idea of sending five motions from the conference for inclusion on ine lue annua women's singles champion receives £90,000.
Personally find women's professional tento match than mersing watch than men's. really is pathetic that the All-England Club, who decide the prizes, have to give women the elbow financially just to prolong the myth that the men's ter= are im. congress agenda. At the moment, there's no such between the two The most daring proan annual ad-hoc commuce to lane respoll sibility for conference arrangements instead of the Women's Advisory Comthe main millec success of this movement has been to ensure last year that delegates at the 54th allu ferences would benefit bookstall that wasn't monopolised by TUC publications.
didn't ine 1982 Advisory Committee, books? where would Who we get the would organise it? What if we didn't like what was in the books? In 1983, they yielded. That's progress!
The movement has had a big impact on the range and content raised at TUC • ISSUC.
Women's conference, and who The guardians its present structure plainly fear there elements out to capture Il They're wrong. . There's no point winning it, want to change it.
• Eva Kaluzynska journalist former of the NUJ'S memoer Equality Working Party.
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BOURNEMOUTH, MID-MARCH 1982. There I was, with nearly 300 other women, being entertain-
band struck up with an ear-splitting Don't ever change - Hove you just the way you are. The occa-
story to some first-time delegates, when another middle-aged, middle-of-the-road male group got up on stage and opened its set with
previous 53 benefit such press freedom? Well,