wright men's TUC will be discussion tion to end on between Non-manual women. Supervisory arn only 75 unskuued nen's earnrcentage is TrOm 1980 because hettoised in But the from the Pay Act ers union, e Banking Innance Union tor changes employers most achieve minatory soldes legal ecent with voluntary nference on TUC officials changes in tive bargaining'.
Again se the Equal misplaced. ved very lit- iscrimination defending tion for women parable Women's ed pattern 48% 1% Skilled & semi-skilled 45% Gazette First, and this argument WIOTC misses the point. The Equal have grades achieved its stated aim but it did give a boost to the strug gle for equal pay and forced the drop their blatantly discrinumber The TUC also argued that changes Inte Teren grades. agreements and the rights of 'free collecthis argument is Legislation largels the rights of women workers is not comtion the nale action. needs the could to the Relations Act which attack'free collective bargaining'. Positive action legislation is in the interests of all workers. The Industrial Rela tions Act attacked the rights ot all workers.
The bankers' union resolution explains the legal Chat es plore mestre employers obliged to goals for drawing women InTO the workforce or into particular Secondly. the disciosure of information laws would need changing as employers can withhold information hiring and firing practices and the women employed particular The UCATT resolution goes further in arguing that employers snoula be obligi ed by law to fulfill goals and women's This would hiring less 'well qualified' women to fill positive action The quulas. problem with this system in the United States is that the unions themselves do lIUL draw up or supervise these quota systems. It is left in une bosses control Opponents of and quotas for positive ac programmes refer to likely 'backlash' from trade unionists. But that argument could be used against challenging any past discrimination.
There is kely lo be d backlash against positive To counter it there to be the west possible discussion to con. vince the labour movement that positive action is in the interests of the whole working class. The discussion at wonerS l mis vegi be a useful start to that process. 'Black people and women have lilay been discriminated against, but isn't positive action merely discrimination in reverse and therefore equally unfair?' That is the question most otten raised within when positive action is discussed.
First, the facts of discrimination 'against and women overwhelming (as the tables printed with this article show). it vou more chance being employed, and that employment is more likely managerial or voies contar professional, JOUS.
Privileges The question for the labour movement whether to perpetuate these relative of white male privueges workers against the Tustined aspirations women and black workers. If the answer 1s no. then positive action to draw up targets and quotas in every job is the best way to move towards non. discriminatory employment practices.
this unfair discrimination against men? Shouldn't the simple CHILCHOT for employment be the best person for the TUD. with everyone treated equally? The best way to is to take an analogy. Marathon The whole populatior a marathon race the population forced to carry a 50kg sack OT potatoes. Haltway through the race the organisers realise that those carrying the potatoes have been unfairly discriminated against. They remove the potatoes and declare everyone equal nom tal polal.
by then half the runners have won a huge duvallace of the other runIt is cynical and abLICS surd to simply declare that both halves are now equal. Only by compensation for the discrimination they have suffered can half the runners stand any chance of winning the race.
Equal legislation has begun to remove the potatoes, now only through positive action can those who have suffered centuries of op pression and discrimination be expected to compete on 'equal' terms.
Ihe labour movemen should draw up positive and for women's and Cuplas black employment and force the bosses to meet them. Such campaign would whole workers' movereally discriminated against because they were black, and it was an insult of the most fundamental kind; under a preferential policy, white males are not being tolo are inferior. the aim is simply to help women and minorities.
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Equal opportunities