Positive Discrimination for Women

Democracy raisedthe issue of "positive discrimination" for women, we met with disbelief and angry opposition, Not least among our opponents were other socialists who accused us of trying to "divide the working class!', Whena motion from the Craigavon Trades Council, proposing positive dis— crimination for women in the trade union movement came up for debate at the ICTU conference it provoked a similar reaction. No less a person than Dan Murphy, the incoming President of Congress, raved on and railed against it. But times have changed and the struggles of the Women!s Movement have forced a change of attitudes, The Craiga-— von motion passed comfortably] A PLAN TO CROSS THE DIVIDE Far from "dividing the working class!'' positive discrimination helps to promote its unity. The reality Is that the workers are already divided. The facts tell the truth. While women constitute more than 50% of the population they are only 30% of the workforce, and the most exploited and oppressed 30% at that. Although they constitute 30% of the workforce they comprise only 11% of the trade union member ship, and less than 1% of trade union officialdom, While women are not allowed to fully participate in society or the trade union movement the working class is fighting with only half its strength -- it is fighting in effect with one hand tied behind its back. Women themselves are often blamed for this. "They don!t attend meet-— ings", "they don't speak up!', "they Won!t go on committees", are comments commonly heard, It isas if women were by nature Incapable of equal participation with men. But this is far from the truth. It isnot the nature of women but the nature of capitalism which prevents women from reallsing their full potential at all levels In soclety.

The reality Is that women are doubly, even triply oppressed: first as domestic slaves, second as wage earners, and third, in the case of Ireland especially, as youth, Itis the extra burden Imposed on women by these three weights which prevents them from full participation in the unions and elsewhere. Thus it is not that women don't want to be fully involved, but that they don't have the time, facilities or training which would allow them to be. Positive discrimination aims to change this. reserving a few jobs or positions for women, More than that, it facilities are not provided, BUREAUCRATS REACT It doesn't simply mean tion. means ensuring tnat resources are made available to ensure the provision of proper facilities (eg creches) -and training programmes so that women can actually take advantage of the gains they have won.

Positive discrimination in the trade unions means exactly the same thing. There is no point in reserving positions on union branches and exccutives or of appointing shopstewards etc if the timing and organisational structures are not geared to the specific requirements of women and if adequate training But this is where the trouble begins, Positive discrimination in the unions can only be effective if it is accompanied by positive discrimination revolutionary dynamic that provokes such hysteria in the trade union leaders, One can take it for granted that they will do their best to bury the concept of positive discriminaIt is necessary to be vigilant about the faith of the Craigavon motion. The resolution instructs ''the Executive Council (of the ICTU) to examine ways in which positive discrimination can be implemented and to report its findings not later than at the 1981 delegate conference'', f the Executive is left to itself it will at best come up with a super-— ‘icial and half-hearted report. The & 2pportunity or excuse for this # should not be given. Pressure 2xerted at every level within the inions can ensure a full and compref vensive report. Is it unreasonable © ask that individual unions and sven branches should set up womens vommittees to carry out their own studies and report their findings to the ICTU? Is it unreasorable to expect that the experiences of the international trade union movement be taken into account?

GUIDES TO ACTION Already action along these lines is being taken. The annual delegate conference of the 1T GWU accepted a document favouring positive dis— crimination and proposing the seting up of special ''study groups!! at section and branch level. The North City Dublin branch of INTO has also set up a special women!s committee, Here is a practical lead for other unions, It is the first practical step in positive dis— crimination, Make no mistake about it, unless women put on the pressure the Craigavon motion will turn out to be another pious platitude, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 gallery to state the Irish Govt,'s position on the Armagh prisoners, Afterwards, an embarrassed Mr. Daly told the APSC that in his opinion the Armagh women were not 'criminals!', He also directed the official delegation to answer any media questions on Armagh by saying that 'the Irish Government had made representation on behalf of the prisoners to the British authorities!, This should have interesting reprecussions at home, Can we now expect Fianna Fail to support the H-Block/Armagh prisoners demands and make this an issue with the British Government?

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