Problems of Women's Charter raised in Leeds

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There is still considerable confusion aboat the meaning of the Working Women's Charter and how to organise around its demands- that at least was apparent from the Women in Socialism Conference on the Charter held last Saturday in Leeds.

Although there was opposition to the Charter from a tew small groups like the Power of Women Collective (the advocates of the 'Wages for House work" theory), the main differences among the 150 women present wero on the actual ways and means of orsinising around it.

Many wamen had reservations about the present form of the Charler, and lelt the need for it to be radically amended. Amendments are to he put forward for Conferenoe in the spring, where national prospectos war pe the mai clen bn the aronos, but as baron mareols troi thad 13G pointed out, while the Charter is not a porlect documeot, the polishing and for organising around it.

REPRESENTATIVE

Charter has come receatly from two trade unian bodies-Sheffield Trades Coomcil and the South Eastern TUC. It is to be Canisis at the next Warmen in Sociats wil be agreod at such a conference. Ir i hoped that any necessary amendments crucial that any national conference, to be truly representative, shoald be open to ali Charter groops and other organisations working on the demands and not be refining of it shoald not be a precondition. Conference agroed to contact these two restricted to trades concil delegates. The bodies do ensure that this would be the The Conference also heard examples froi various groups of their support work in struggles on the shop floor. Bristol W'WCC are working with the women tobac co workers from Wills. The Brent WWCC are active in the disputes at Hoovers and Associatod Automation.

It was explained that the Charrer Canpaim shoald not only respond to struggles grinz on, hut also help initiate struggles in many cases the experience gatned by women workers in a fight on an ecanomic demand such as qual pay has ac ted as a catalyst to a greater consciousnoss shout other demands raisod in the Charter.

AUTONOMY

A mosage nf solidarite ds to he sent ro the women workers at Howers and at Assocsitod Autamation fram the R'umen in Socialism Conferenoc, logether with the 235 raisod there for the hard siup fuids. Middlesex.