Female trade unionists from across the UK are to attend a unique Manchester conference to encourage women to become more proactive in trade unions.
The conference, called ìWomen and Unions ñ Active and Influentialíí, is being held at the Mechanics Institute from 10am to 3pm on Friday November 9. It aims to help women play a bigger role in their union and explore the different ways of developing careers within the TUC and individual unions.
A number of high-flying guest speakers from North West unions will be addressing the conference, which will be attended by more than 130 female trade unionists. It is the first conference of its type in the North West.
The conference will also examine how people can become:
A TUC tutor delivering courses to trade union activists.
A union project worker promoting learning in the workplace.
A union organiser.
A union representative.
The conference has been organised by the North West TUC Tutor Womenís Group. It was set up this year to support female tutors, establish links with unions and co-ordinate campaigning work with similar organisations.
Marie Monaghan, of the group, said:
ìWe want to make women aware of the possibilities for progressing within the union movement.
ìOur speakers will all be talking about how they reached the positions they are now in and what problems they had to overcome. We have asked them to share their personal experiences rather than give speeches about what it is that they do.íí
Speakers include TUC National Education and Training Officer Liz Rees, NUT Regional Secretary Avis Gilmore, Hilder Palmer of Greater Manchester Hazards Centre, Carolyn Jones from the Employment Institute and Brenda Saunders of Unite the Union. TUC tutors and union organisers, representatives and project workers will hold smaller discussion groups.
Marie Monaghan added: ìThe conference is about working out how women can progress in trade unions. But it is also about finding out what sort of assistance they need to make that progress.íí
Women and Unions Conference ñ a first in the North West
Female trade unionists from across the UK are to attend a unique Manchester conference to encourage women to become more proactive in trade unions
