Tuesday morning, delegates to the International Women of Steel Conference were inspired by the experiences of women activists and union leaders from around the world. USW’s international partners play an important role in the union’s work.
Women are answering the call to action in different ways, responding to unique challenges.
The delegates heard from international guests from Brazil, Mexico, Bangladesh and the U.K.
In Brazil, women are 51% of the population; Black people are 54%. Christiane Aparecida dos Santos of the CUT (National Confederation of Metal Workers), noted that women make up 18.7% of metalworkers. Black women in Brazil face a staggering gender wage gap of 50% compared to white men. Women end up working two to three jobs.
“That influences their ability to dedicate themselves to the struggle on the job,” said dos Santos.
“In our collective bargaining, we try to include clauses that allow women to participate in the labour market: child care, maternity leave,” said dos Santos.
As a result, the CUT has been able to achieve some negotiated agreements with 180 paid days of maternity leave.
Raising Consciousness
“Our fight is to raise the women’s level of consciousness – to draw them into union struggles. We offer training. And we also try to raise the consciousness of the men; we are together in the struggle.”
For Unite the Union in the U.K., women are rising. “We’ve got good structures and we’re proud of those, but we have more to do,” said Louisa Bull a Unite representative from the paper and packaging sector, an area where women make up 17% of the workforce.
In addition to the formal structures that help make gains for women, Unite women are saying to the men in leadership, “Stand aside, brother.”
Unite the Union Vice President Jayne Taylor got started by attending a women’s leadership school. After completing the school, she didn’t just stand for a position as equalities officer; she went back to her local union and ran for branch secretary.
One struggle in paper and packaging is outsourcing to countries with lower wages. So now Unite finances organizing where the workers are, leading organizing in Poland and Hungary to bring up the wages and working conditions of those workers – to improve their lives and to level the playing field.
In Bangladesh, Kalpona Akter fights on behalf of garment workers, 85% of whom are women.
Minimum wage is $68 per month – not enough for one person to live; and many of these women have families and children to support.
“The garment industry is the backbone of our economy, but they’ve been left out,” said Akter.
We Are Fighting Every Day
“Are we sitting down? No! We are fighting every day!”
Answering the call to action means speaking up.
In Mexico, women face exploitation and assault at work. Changing this culture happens through unions like Los Mineros, but also by electing pro-worker representatives.
Los Mineros’ Josefina Martinez shared how women in Mexico wanted a new government and organized “house by house” in her district.
“We needed 42,000 votes,” said Martinez. “We didn’t get 42,000, we got 90,000!”
Now Los Mineros’ General Secretary Napoleon Gomez Urrutia is a senator in the Mexican congress.
“Thanks to the work that was done by women, we brought down barriers,” said Martinez.
Keynote speaker Ritu Bhasin, an author, motivational speaker, and expert in diversity, inclusion and women’s leadership, inspired delegates with her personal story. She told of growing up bullied from the age of five because of her brown skin and Sikh religion.
As a young adult, Bhasin sought to fit in and carried a spirit of sameness, seeking social acceptance. Then she realized how unhappy she was trying to be someone she wasn’t.
Embrace Authenticity
Bhasin’s answer to the call to action is authenticity: to embrace differences as strengths.
“Authenticity is the consistent practise of choosing to know who I am; to embrace who I am; to be who I am.”
Through authenticity and by embracing differences, people can come together and support each other.
Bhasin encouraged delegates to do the work to embrace authenticity.
“When we do this for ourselves, we thrive. But then, it’s incumbent on us to lift others while we climb.”
“Globally, we are in a desperate need to course-correct on how we are living so that everyone can experience belonging,” said Bhasin.
“My hope for today is that you will join me!”
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