International Women’s Strike planning meeting Tues 20 Nov, 6pm
Come to a planning meeting for the International Women’s Strike (IWS: 8 March 2019)
6pm, Tuesday 20 November 2018
Liz Hilton (EMPOWER-Thailand) is in London for a few days. So we are meeting now to benefit from Thai women’s struggle and especially their mass movement of sex workers. Also, Liz, Selma James and Nina Lopez (Global Women’s Strike- UK) were invited to Germany’s national IWS planning meeting and will report back.
VENUE: Crossroads Women’s Centre, 25 Wolsey Mews, London NW5 2DX
Fully wheelchair accessible (including toilet). Sound amplification available for hard of hearing people. Please let us know if you need childcare. Refreshments.
ALL WOMEN WELCOME.
Bring news and views of other IWS meetings you may be involved in.
Report and discussion on what grassroots women in Germany, Ireland, Peru, Spain, Thailand and US … are planning for 8 March 2019. Bring your ideas and suggestions.
Last year women took action across all continents. There were speak-outs, sit-ins and occupations, pickets, banner drops, direct action, and a spectacular mass strike across the Spanish State in which six million women took part.
There’s been general agreement that women would strike in whichever ways we could from both waged and unwaged work, and that the huge contribution we make with our caring work in the family and outside would be highlighted.
Different countries and areas and groups within each country issued statements with their demands. See IWS website and this Guardian article for info on the history of IWS.
Some men, including Payday men’s network, have supported from the start. How should we ask men to support this year? How is men’s support a power for women, and how is our women’s strike a power for them?
Some unions are also with us and may send representatives. What about your union?
Ideas for demands this year include:
End poverty and destitution. Scrap Universal Credit. No evictions. No zero-hour contracts. Scrap benefit sanctions. A living wage for mothers and all carers. End the hostile environment against immigrants, asylum seekers, women and children of colour, disabled women, single mothers, claimants… A £15 per hour minimum wage for all regardless of age. End forced separation of children from their mothers. Black Lives Matter! End racism and all discrimination. Prosecute rapists not rape victims. End violence at home and at work. Direct action against environmental devastation. Increase pensions. End deportations. Decriminalise sex work. Accessible free public transport. Stop violence and discrimination vs trans and non-binary people. A shorter working week. And more…
IDEAS FOR ACTION???? Bring them to the meeting!
IF YOU’VE HAD ENOUGH – JOIN THE INTERNATONAL WOMEN’S STRIKE!!!
Contact: Global Women’s Strike (020) 7482 2496/Facebook/@WomensStrike