WOMEN

Organising Globally, Building Unions Locally

Diana HollandChair ITUC Women’s Committee

What has international organisation got to do with me???

• Working for a multi-national company• Working as a migrant worker• Job threatened with outsourcing to

another country• Solidarity wanted for a workplace struggle• Standing up against Anti-union and

human rights abuses, violence against women

• Union organisation internationally can make the difference

1.2 BILLION

WOMEN IN THE WORLD TODAY

ARE IN WORK

40% of world employment

AND yet, …

• Women are 60% of the world’s poor and working poor

• Women earn 12-60% less than men co-workers

• Over 60% of working women are in “informal” work

Women internationally• A shared agenda• Different priorities eg maternity rights

– Longer paid maternity leave in UK– No forced pregnancy test for job in airline in India– Introduction of legal maternity rights in USA– Hiding pregnancy in male-dominated work in South

Africa

• Recognition and valuing of work women do in all regions of the world

• Sisterhood, Solidarity, Support• Inspiration

ITUC Report Gender Pay Gap stuck at 16%

worldwide

The ITUC• Represents 168 million workers

• 40% of them women

• In 55 countries and 4 regions Africas Americas Asia-Pacific Pan-European

• Is made up of 311 national affiliates – trade union centres

ITUC Women’s Committee and Conference

• Trade union women elected from all regions of the world

• Works for gender parity (50:50) in all decision-making and negotiating bodies

• Promotes international solidarity between women trade unionists

• First ITUC World Women’s Conference October 2009 Brussels

Unions4womenwomen4Unions

• ITUC Campaign to organise working women

• Targeting women and issues important to women INCREASES MEMBERSHIP RATES BY UP TO 150%

• Organising and campaigning together– Discrimination - Maternity - Pay Equity– Childcare - Protection from Sexual Harassment

ITUC Women’s Committee work programme

• ITUC Action Programme on achieving Gender Equality in Trade Unions

• ITUC Charter Rights of Working Women• Guide on Sexual Harassment• UN Beijing Platform for Action• ILO Gender and Domestic Workers • Action on International Women’s Day• DECENT WORK, DECENT LIFE FOR

WOMEN CAMPAIGN

As birds are bornto fly

so are women bornto be free