The STUC women’s conference got underway yesterday with powerful speeches on child benefit cuts, solidarity with the striking firefighters, on the injustices of welfare reform and on the importance of the rights of women to education worldwide.

Although many delegates speak of the difficulties faced by their members, families and communities, there is a spirit of defiance and sisterly solidarity.

Denise Christie of the FBU moved an emergency motion on the current strikes. “Today will be the fourth consecutive day that firefighters have been forced into taking strike action,” she said.

“After three years of negotiations, the Tory-led government has now imposed an unworkable, unachievable and unfair pension scheme where firefighters are under threat of being sacked for getting older, leaving them with no job and no pension.

“They have walked away from negotiations and left firefighters with no alternative than to take strike action. Time and time again the FBU has presented evidence and time and time again this has been ignored.”

One of the strongest rounds of applause came for Cheryl Gedling of the PCS who spoke passionately against Labour’s announcement recently that the freeze on child benefit would continue. “Benefit recipients are demonised — it’s unacceptable. Benefits are there for those who need them,” she said.

The women’s conference meets in Perth against a backdrop of continuing constitutional debate in Scotland following the independence referendum in September.

The STUC’s Women’s Votes, Women’s Voices campaign, launched last year, contributed to the 97 per cent voter registration and the massive turnout for the referendum.

The STUC women’s committee has played its part in the STUC A Just Scotland conferences and consultations, and was on the streets for the TUC march on October 18.

At the 2013 STUC women’s conference delegates focused their concerns on the economy, job insecurity, pensions, welfare reform, as well as childcare, all in the context of that referendum debate.

Those questions have not gone away, with austerity measures still attacking living standards and
a significant reduction in public services and public-sector employment.

While Scotland’s economy may be performing slightly better than most of England and Wales, families are still struggling and our women union reps know only too well the difficulties faced by many of their members in the workplace.

The women’s conference agenda reflects this, with motions on the under-resourcing of essential services such as care for the elderly, the isolation of communities due to cuts in public transport services, the need for joint trade-union and community campaigns against austerity and for public ownership and tax justice, the impact of low pay on poor health.

We are also discussing attacks on our access to basic justice as the application of employment tribunal fees already shows a significant reduction in claims and, in particular, a reduction in cases going forward from women.

With 130 delegates registered to attend, representing the vast majority of the trade unions affiliated to the STUC, and coming from different industrial, private and public-sector workplaces from across Scotland, conference provides a welcome opportunity for delegates to learn from each other and build up the confidence and strength of women trade unionists.

With motions also focusing on equality proofing, impact assessments, maternity leave, pensions and flexible working, delegates have been discussing how these issues can be addressed more effectively through collective bargaining by all trade unionists to the benefit of the whole workforce.

The STUC women’s conference and women’s committee have a longstanding record of promoting international solidarity with women across the world, and this year will be no different.

Yesterday’s conference heard a video message from Liliany Obando, a Colombian trade unionist under house arrest, focusing our thoughts on those trade union members and their families facing persecution and worse in Colombia.

Conference is also discussing a motion promoting a campaign on the importance of education globally for women and girls.
Calls for international action on violence against women are being heard too, and delegates are likely to commit to campaigning together on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Many visitors and campaign exhibitors are attending conference too, promoting solidarity between women trade unionists and women’s campaigning organisations.

Ann Henderson is STUC assistant secretary. Follow her on Twiiter #stucwomen14