More than 150 delegates from trade unions across the island gathered in Dundalk for our recent Women's Seminar to mark International Women's Day. A wide range of speakers under the broad theme of Women Demanding a better deal contributed to the event including:
General Secretary Owen Reidy on his priorities for the movement into the future as well as Assistant General Secretary, Gerry Murphy.
Ethel Buckley (SIPTU) on the challenges of converting positive attitudes to unions (more here) into membership and taking advantage of upcoming changes in the legal framework governing collective bargaining (more here) and Taryn Trainor on UNITE's Regina Coeli campaign (more here);
NERI with a closer look at the gender pay gap - more here
Sorcha Tunney from the Irish Coalition on Business and Human Rights more here;
Vanessa Paszkowska, Peer Researcher and Jenny Liston, Roma Programme Coordinator, Pavee Point on the experience of Roma in the labour market more here;
Councilor Alison Gilliland on gender and climate action more here,
David Joyce and Clare Moore on tackling violence and harassment in the world of work more here
and good news since - the Work Life Balance Bill containing 5 days paid domestic violence leave passed final stages in the Oireachtas on 29 March - more here;
as well as sessions on women’s struggles in:
Iran Khazar Lotfi - Iranian academic teaching in the Netherlands- more here and video here
Afghanistan - Habiba Fakhri, National Union of Afghanistan Workers and Employees (NUAWE) video here and
Palestine Lama Yahya - A young Palestinian woman activist - explanatory video here
All ensuring a packed and lively couple of days. Thanks to all our speakers and to all delegates for attending
