Still a minority in a tradtionally male-dominated industry, RMT women are organising against sexism and for our issues to be heard
Yesterday, the 25th of November, the European Transport Workers’ Federation joined the union movement and its affiliated members in drawing world-wide attention on workplace violence against women.
The ETF website posted a statement saying:
Noam is a 19 year old woman from Jerusalem who was jailed last year for refusing to serve on the Israeli Defence Force as part of compulsory national service.
She says:
Over the past 40 years there has been a rise in the percentage of women aged 16 to 64 in employment and a fall in the percentage of men — that is one of the key findings of the Women in the labour market study.
In April to June 2013, around 67% of women aged 16 to 64 were in work, an increase from 53% in 1971. For men the percentage fell to 76% in 2013 from 92% in 1971.
Most of the shift in more women and fewer men working happened between 1971 and 1991, according to the Office for National Statistics study.
Our Executive Member for London Transport - Janine Booth, gave a report to the Women's Committee of the European Transport federation in helsinki, in September 2013.
Violence against women
This article is taken from the International Transport Worker's Federation Website
The 25th of November is an important day for ITF affiliates worldwide. It marks the day that the ITF family campaigns for the elimination of violence against women. Following the success of last year's campaign the message for this year will remain the same: ‘NO to Violence Against Women’.
THIS YEAR’S CAMPAIGN: NO to Violence Against Women
On the first day of the ETF Women's Committee meeting, several Finnish transport trade unionists attended as guests, including women from the logistics, shipping, rail and salaried sectors. We also had a presentation from Tapio Bergholm, who has written a history of Finnish transport workers. The Finnish member of the ETF Women's Committee is Satu, from the Finnish Seamen's Union, who was elected one of the two Vice-Chairs of the Committee.
Domestic Violence Policy
Further to Decision No.CEWW, 23rd July 2013, the Equal Rights Sub-Committee submits the following report:
“That the General Secretary is instructed to raise this item with all the Regional Organisers who we have meetings with over the month of August 2013 and have a further update at the September Statutory meeting. Finally, the General Secretary to write to all other unions we share collective bargaining with and send them a copy of the policy for their consideration.
Sexual Violence Against Female Employees
That the General Secretary is instructed to all employers asking that all of the equality reps are elected and conducted by the RMT. Further the General Secretary to bring forward to the Council of Executives a training syllabus for these positions and make sure we provide enough training required and obtain relevant material from the TUC.
That we note this matter originated from the GGC and from a letter from London Underground regarding Parental Leave (EU Directive) Regulations 2013.
The General Secretary is to write to all employers to confirm that they are incorporating the directive into our members’ contracts of employment. We would hope that the progressive employers would pay for our members to have parental leave.
You can read these regulations here
This report on the European Transport Workers Federation Women's Conference has been endorsed by the RMT Executive.
The ETF Women’s Conference (and Congress) met in Berlin in the 80th anniversary year of the Nazis’ storming of trade union offices and deportation of trade unionists to camps, and of the repression of LGBT venues and communities. There is a temporary display near the Brandenburg Gate on Unter den Linden, and I also visited the memorials to both Jewish and homosexual victims of the Holocaust.