07 Mar 2007 -
International Women's Day 2007

Every year, ITF unions carry out hundreds of successful activities on International Women's Day - each one strengthened by the fact that they are acting in solidarity with their sisters and brothers worldwide. Here are some of the reports we have been receiving.

Argentina

The seafarers’ union CCUOMM will lobby local and national authorities, shipowners and other unions to promote the participation of women in the workforce and in unions, with the aim of strengthening the organisation. A discussion between women and men on women’s rights will take place. ITF materials will be distributed.

Australia 

Australian Services Union will distribute a Charter for Womens Rights, and a leaflet entitled: 'Your rights at work'.  Mentoring programmes, mapping exercises with women's groups, developing strategic relationships with women's groups based on common goals and shared values are part of this year's campaign, which aims to develop information for ASU women about local campaign groups.

Brazil

The aviation union FENTAC will promote the ITF campaign and publicise the issue of violence against. A demonstration will take place in Porto Alegre, and in Maceió, women members from the aviation sector are invited to discuss issues of working mothers.

Bulgaria 

The Union of Transport Workers' Syndicates in Bulgaria is going to organise meetings with the women in different companies, to explain to them the the recent (1 Jan 2007) changes in the Bulgarian Legislation, regarding the women in the transport branch.  discuss the real chance to defend better work conditions for the women transport workers.

Chile

COMACH together with various women’s organisations including the local TUC will organise activities on 8th March, in order to create public awareness of their demands and proposals such as maternity rights, pensions provisions, ratification of the UN’s Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women.

According to COMACH women’s representative the struggle for women's rights ‘is fundamental in the construction of a profound democracy without exclusions or discriminations'.  The events include an exhibition in the central square of Valparaiso, followed by a march and cultural activities relating to women’s rights and a tribute to women who marched for their rights and were massacred in the Santa Maria School, Iquique in 1907. 

Croatia

The seafarers’ union of Croatia plan a media campaign aimed to sensitise employers, government and the public to the role of women in transport.

DR Congo

The unions intend to strengthen women’s participation in trade unions by launching training and discussion workshops

Dominican Republic

Activities are planned by the Women’s branch of National Confederation of Dominican Workers, FENAMUTRA established to defend women’s rights and create opportunities for women. International Women’s Day celebrations will be countrywide, a wreath of flowers will be laid to commemorate the Mirabel sisters, and a talk will be given by government representative from the women’s department.

Ethiopia

The trade unions will use ITF materials to distribute to members at all levels of their organisation “we want to celebrate March 8th in a colourful way” they said.

Fiji 

The Fiji Public Service Association will be holding a workshop.

France

A forum will be held in the municipality of Rennes where Fédération CGT des Cheminots will participate and distribute ITF campaign materials.

Georgia 

The Georgian Seafarers' Union will invite port authority representatives and unions to its office and visit its medical center.

Guatemala

SITRADGTMICIVI I will pay tribute to women who have fallen in the struggle for women’s rights.  An event at the trade union headquarters’ is planned where the historical aspects of the 8th March and the challenges faced by women such as leadership roles within the union structures will be discussed.

Guyana

A two-day workshop will be organised by the Guyana Labour Union commencing on the 8th March.  The workshop will focus on developing the workplace e.g leadership training for women, how to campaign for better conditions and HIV/AIDS.

Honduras

The port union SITRAENP is planning a march through their city’s streets, bringing together with the unions social organisations, schools, etc. to promote women’s rights.

Italy

FIT-CISL is focusing on training women activists. The themes of maternity rights, the new welfare state, the collective bargaining system and the rights of disabled people will be addressed.

India

The All-India Railwaymen’s Federation will organise processions, meetings, seminars, plays, panel discussions involving working railway women, cultural activities and awareness programmes in the 16 railway regions and the production units, with the aim of promoting railway women’s rights and fomenting unity. Over 20,000 women are expected to participate.

The West Central Railway Employees Union will hold a Women’s convention will invite the Divisional Labour Commissioner and District Collector to a women’s convention, where demands for 33% reservation for women in Parliament and Legislative Assemblies and ratification and implementation of ILO Convention no. 183 regarding maternity protection will be made. Various cultural activities, including performances by women depicting the illegal abortion of a girl child will take place.

The National Federation of Indian Railways has planned meetings and group discussions amongst women members to identify targets for improving working conditions. They aim to empower and motivate women to become more participative at various levels of the union.

The Cochin Port Staff Association is targeting unemployed and unorganised women for union involvment. Seminars, role play and debates with women and men have been planned with the aim of putting forward demands to the government on women’s rights.

New Mangalore Port Staff Association and Karnataka Dock and General Workers Union will jointly celebrate this event by holding a seminar open to the port workers and general community under the title ‘Women in Social & Cultural Life’.

Transport and Dock Worker's union, Mumbai in association with Mumbai Port Trust's Women's wing, will organise a 500 strong celebration. Deepal Shaw,Bollywood Film Actress, numerous Port trustees,  Head Of Department of Mumbai Port Trust and the  Chief Manager of the State Bank of India will also attend.

Jordan

The aviation union has sent CDs with information about women’s legal rights and international agreements to all its women members. In addition women from the union are meeting with their employer to discuss eliminating discrimination from company regulations. A seminar on women’s legal rights is planned, as is an e-mail campaign aimed at women workers.

Japan

Japan Confederation of Railway Unions will organise activities to raise awareness about the 8th March campaign.  The general public will be given roses with information about the union’s campaign to improve women’s working conditions, and in particular their efforts to tackle the wage disparity between full-time and part time workers.

Kenya

The port union in Mombasa has organised a walk through the town, during which there will be songs. The  procession will culminate in a football match. In the stadium, songs, speeches and poems will be performed. Union members will also visit sick workers and rural areas, where issues affecting women will be discussed.

Additional information: The Government announced it had taken the first steps in setting up a fund to improve the welfare of women in Kenya and to support the existing gender structures in Kenya.

The Kenya railway workers’ union has planned to mobilise workers for a cleaning sector campaign.

Lithuania 

The Lithuanian  Transport Workers' Federation will arrange meetings with top trade union officials and business adminstrators countrywide.  Women will have the chance to express their views, problems and possible solutions, directly themselves.  The slogan ' fight locally - think globally' will be used. In Vilnius to raise public awareness about the issues women workers face, the trade union activists will visit women drivers on their routes.

Mauritius

The Transport Corporation Employees’ Union will organise seminars for all women in the transport sector.

Mexico

A meeting has been organised by the ATM for March 8th, including many of Mexico’s transport unions. Brazilian, Colombian and Canadian sisters were also invited.

Mongolia

The railway union is organising a question and answer session and discussion on women’s rights. Training on new Mongolian labour laws covering women’s rights will be provided. Workplace issues will be addressed through this initiative.

Namibia 

The Namibian Transport and Allied Workers' Union (NATAU) will be marching, dancing and singing - and will handing over a petition on women's rights.

Nigeria

Civil aviation union, ATSSSAN will organise activities on 8th March to highlight the gender dimension of HIV/AIDS, the ILO declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the union will also screen the following union films:Women workers’ Rights – ILO, Making Unions Stronger – ITF, Global AIDS epidemic – UNAIDS.

Norway

The Norweigan Transport Workers’ Union will organise unionist visits to workplaces that have a lot of port-time workers. Meetings between employers and shop stewards are planned. A conference aimed to give women a voice at local government level has been organised.

Papua New Guinea

The Aircraft Engineers' Association of Papua New Guinea is conducting workplace activities and a march along the wharfs.

Pakistan

The Aircraft Technologists’ Association of Pakistan, which has around 100 women members, will organise events and distribute promotional goods, with the aim of supporting the campaign.

All Pakistan Civil Transport Workers' Union will organise a one-day seminar in Faisalabad on the 8th March, where discussions will focus on the origins of International Women’s Day, women’s rights around the world with special reference to the Islamic perspective. Members of the union will also attend a three-day seminar organised by the Ministry of Labour’s Workers Education Section on HIV/AIDS.

Peru

FENTENAPU will celebrate the launch of the National Ports Women’s Committee where there will be an office dedicated to dealing with issues related to women’s rights.

Philippines

Women from PANTALAN, the ports union in the Philippines, will wear violet buttons with the slogan “Women’s Rights Mean Rights for All” and will distribute ITF campaign materials.

The Philippine Seafarers’ Union will organise a seminar and covering ILO Conventions in the area of women’s rights.

Portugal 

The Sindicato Nacional do Pessoal de Vôo da Aviaçâo Civil – SNPVAC - will hold a Conference on the 7 March 2007, entitled 'Women in Civil Aviation.'

South Africa

The Transport and Allied Workers’ Union is organising workshops on health and safetyat work, with the aim of organising more women into the union

Spain

The Spanish union Federación de Comunicación y Transporte CC.OO is publishing a guide to gender in its collective bargaining agreements, distributing leaflets in airports, organsing film showings in its railway sector and organising seminars focusing on women at sea. Promotional materials are being distributed. A joint meeting with UGT transport federation has been organised. A demonstration is taking place in Madrid on March 8th, and a special breakfast with guest speakers, has been organised in the union’s headquarters.

Tanzania

The Communication and Transport Workers’ Union of Zanzibar will organise a seminar on March 7th, and participate in an 8th March rally.

Thailand 

The State Railway Workers' Union of Thailand (SRUT) plans activities to ensure women know their rights and fight for justice.

Togo

A conference will be held at the Port Authority Director General building, organised by the ITF Women’s Network and the Transport Women’s Association of Lome Port Authority (AFPAL).  The theme of the conference is ‘The participation of women transport workers in the development of the company’. 

Additional information: The participants held debates and shared experiences.  The discussions/talks centred on all aspects of the 8th March and came to various conclusions as to the way forward, including the need to organise and increase forums where the exchange of ideas happen.

Turkey 

The Turkish Civil Aviation Union Hava-Is is publishing a special issue of its magazine, with articles from eminent women writers and union colleagues.

United Kingdom

The railway union ASLEF will be leafleting and asking passengers to sign petitions at major railway stations. They will explain the importance of international women’s day and campaign for the day to be made a national holiday. They will also be campaigning for improvements to women’s state pensions.

The RMT railway union will be promoting the union’s charter for women http://www.rmt.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=89759&int1stParentNodeID=89729

The TSSA will carry out workplace-based campaigning using postcards and the union’s website.

AMICUS shared messages of solidarity with women trade unionist worldwide and developed a guide to celebrating equality and produced International Women’s Day materials, available from http://www.amicustheunion.org/default.aspx?page=2299

Zambia

National Union of Transport and Allied Workers (NUTAW) will join other trade unions, NGO’s, civil society, the church and local communities, in countrywide marches.  Speeches, drama groups, poems and other activities will also take place