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General Secretary
hails pioneers and builders
The UNI World Women’s Conference
is one of the largest gatherings of women that any global union has ever
organised, UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings told delegates.
He called them pioneers and builders.
"Pioneers because I know many of you are the leaders of the equality
crusade in your nations and unions.
"Builders because you were quick to build an identity, a structure, a
plan for UNI."
He praised the Marks & Spencer shopworkers - mainly women – who
fought the company’s abrupt closure plan and won new consultation rights
for European workers in the process.
And he highlighted the obstacles many women face in their everyday lives.
1.2 billion people survive on less than a dollar a day. Then biggest
number of the victims – 70% of them – are women. Unequal wealth
between nations. Unequal wealth within nations. The biggest number of
victims are women."
He called for a fight to ensure education for girls and women, better
quality employment for women - and a place at the table for women.
"We will not defeat global poverty without specific action targeted
at women. Indeed it’s time that the running of the IMF, World Bank and
World Trade Organisation are put in the hands of women."
The digital economy will not on its own end gender bias – "without
global union action at UNI they will persist," said Philip.
He called for an organising campaign and praised the work of our Greek
telecom affiliate in organising a mobile phone company where 90% of the
workers have been recruited into the union which has a leadership of women
in their 20s.
"We must mainstream gender policies throughout the work of UNI,"
he told delegates and promised to strengthen the Global Equality Project
which encourages women to get active within their own unions and within
UNI.
"We must fight to get the message across that if we want to give a
human dimension to globalisation then we need specific policies,
deliberate labour policies for women."
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