THE 97th annual STUC women’s conference was held in Glasgow on October 23-24. Women from trade unions and workplaces across Scotland gathered together to share their union’s priorities, and their thoughts on the theme of this year’s conference, which was “Solidarity and Succession.”

Topics discussed on the first day of conference included: calls for a four-day working week; negotiating on bereavement leave and pay; the importance of appropriate uniform and PPE (personal protective equipment) for women; calling for the removal of the two-child benefit cap; investment in childcare; improving maternity pay provisions; tackling misogyny; women in Afghanistan; and the importance of responsible and well-resourced journalism in times of war and conflict.

A timely session on the Worker Protection Act, coming into force this month, was delivered by Nikki Pound, TUC women’s officer.

The conference also considered two motions submitted by the RMT, one on women in the shipping industry and one on the future of Scotland’s railway.

In moving the motion on the shipping industry, Mairi Beaton of the RMT Glasgow shipping branch spoke enthusiastically about her own job in the sector, welcoming steps being taken by Calmac and Stena Line to increase the numbers of women in the workforce, but progress is too slow.

Women working at sea make up under 2 per cent of the global workforce. This can often place women workers in isolated situations. Female seafarers are twice as likely to experience aggression and harassment as male seafarers. Women’s conference agreed to support the national and international trade union initiatives to organise women seafarers, and to improve safety for women working in the maritime sector.

With regard to Scotland’s railways, Caroline Godfrey of RMT Perth branch conveyed clearly the findings of both RMT surveys and Transport Scotland surveys that women and girls want to see more staff on trains and in stations to better provide an environment free from harassment and abuse towards women.

With rail franchising coming to an end at UK level, and ScotRail and Caledonian Sleepers already in public ownership, the conference called on the Scottish government to do far more.

Speaking in support of this motion, a delegate from Aslef spoke of her own experience as a driver on driver-only operation routes, and her strong preference for working as a driver on a train with a guard (conductor). 

Safety for women at work, and safety for women passengers, must be a higher priority. Staff are an asset in our public transport network. 

RMT delegates also spoke in other debates during the first day, including Georgina Holmes, a conductor from Perth, making a strong contribution in the debate on appropriate uniforms and PPE for women workers.

For train care and platform staff working regularly with various chemicals, correctly fitting safety gloves are crucial. And for outward-facing roles in the industry, a clean and smart appearance requires uniforms that fit, and take account of women’s needs. 

At every STUC and TUC women’s conference, every year women speak up about sexual harassment, violence against women and girls, domestic abuse — and the reality of women’s lives both at home and in the workplace.

The RMT delegation also contributed to the debate on misogyny and abuse in workplaces. The STUC women’s committee launched an updated survey report, Still Silent, on experiences of sexual harassment at work. 

Conference fell silent as a delegate from the FBU outlined her own experience of coercive behaviour, escalating abuse and domestic violence, much of it caught on camera and subsequently included in a BBC Scotland Panorama programme on domestic abuse.  

For many women in the conference hall, this touched a chord with their own experience or that of a woman they knew, and the sustained standing ovation was only one way of showing the wider labour movement that addressing this must remain a priority.

On the second day of the conference, a highlight was the session delivered in conjunction with Unions Into Schools, as young women spoke to the topic of ending sexual harassment too.

Topics debated by conference included: women’s under-representation in policy and decision-making; celebrating 50 years of the Health and Safety at Work Act; supporting women returning from maternity leave; support for women carers; and on women’s health and wellbeing, with a guest speaker contribution from Professor Anna Glasier, women’s health champion, Scottish government. 

Ann Henderson is RMT Scotland political and parliamentary liaison officer.