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Fears over impact of economic crisis on women transport workers
12 March 2009
Women transport workers in Lithuania took part in discussions with managers last week in a bid to highlight their concerns over the effect of the economic downturn.
The workers met with managers of bus company operators and trolley bus firms in Vilnius and Kaunas as well as in several other regions as part of International Women's Day activities on 8 March. With unemployment at over 10 per cent in Lithuania, they discussed issues concerning the economic situation of the companies, wages and taxes.
Janina Malinowska, ETF women’s committee member and international officer at the Lithuanian Transport Workers’ Federation said: “Because of the crisis nothing is clear, even for employers. Laws are very changeable. But women trade unionists had the opportunity to ask direct questions of management.”
A report - Gender (in)Equality in the Labour Market - published last week by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), also to mark 8 March, covers the impact of the economic crisis on women’s jobs and incomes. It further unveils a larger gender pay gap than has been anticipated. Along with the report, the ITUC has produced a video on maternity protection.
Other activities taking place as part of International Women’s Day included a demonstration by the ITF women’s group in Thailand in collaboration with other women’s groups. This involved the staging of a drama outside Government House in Bangkok to highlight women workers’ poor working conditions. They also submitted a charter of demands directly to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. In addition, the women’s department of a Nepali affiliate participated in a rally for women’s rights organised by the Nepali national centre.
More information about the ITUC report: http://www.ituc-csi.org/spip.php?article2799&lang=en
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