Workers Rights means Liberation not just for workers but for all groups! A sentiment shared by The Workers’ Rights Consortium, which states it is against all forms of discrimination; gender, race, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, nationality, political opinion, or social or ethnic origin.

Why women’s day??? well studies show that women are amongst the three most vulnerable groups in the work place along with ethnic minorities and foreign born. Not mention 90% of the workers in sweatshops are women.

And there are some outstanding abuses of women’s rights goings such as companies requiring pregnancy tests upon applying for employment, forcing workers to take contraceptives, paying women less, demoting or firing for maternity leave.

The worker rights consortium pushes this code of conduct regarding women’ rights

“Women’s Rights:

1. Women workers will receive equal remuneration, including benefits, equal treatment, equal evaluation of the quality of their work, and equal opportunity to fill all positions as male workers.

1. Pregnancy tests will not be a condition of employment, nor will they be demanded of employees.
2. Workers who take maternity leave will not face dismissal nor threat of dismissal, loss of seniority or deduction of wages, and will be able to return to their former employment at the same rate of pay and benefits.
3. Workers will not be forced or pressured to use contraception.
4. Workers will not be exposed to hazards, including glues and solvents, that may endanger their safety, including their reproductive health.
5. Licensees shall provide appropriate services and accommodation to women workers in connection with pregnancy.

The Workers Rights Consortium protects and aids women’s liberation movements. Take a look at the story of these five women who formed Bangladesh’s first non-politically-aligned, women-led, trade union and where imprisoned for it. http://www.workersrights.org/freports/Sunman.asp

Yes the Workers Rights Consortium is not perfect; it doesn’t give a direct voice to Women activists… however compared other models, which take funding from the companies causing the abuse, who don’t always act on complaints, it’s certainly a positive step. If you had been pressured into an abortion by your employer would you go an organisation you didn’t trust to be on your side? The Workers Rights Consortium Fosters close ties to independent labour organizations and its independence puts it in a position to win the trust of all groups in a community.

Birmingham People and Planet has teamed up with Women’s Rights activists on campus to fight for equal rights in the supply chain, on March the 8^th international Women’s day. We delivered our massive petition, which was symbolically written on T-shirts, to the Vice chancellor to protect women and women’s rights in our supply chain.

Only this rather bad photo unfortunately….