John Smeaton has posted on the TUC motion 19, which was passed by the TUC annual Congress meeting in Brighton today. He suggests that it's call to promote abortion rights in the work place will play in to the hands of employers who do not want to incur the costs of maternity leave for key workers. John Smeaton's post is entitled: TUC abortion policy, agreed today, plays into the hands of unscrupulous employers.
I posted on this motion here and here. As I pointed out, TUC policy is not binding on affiliated unions, so I suspect the extent to which different trade unions follow the indications of motion 19 will be quite variable.
The good news? The delegation from my own trade union decided to abstain on this vote, though, according to the report circulated to branch secretaries from the delegation's "news reporter", there were some suggestions of "personal support" for the motion from some members of the delegation. Traditionally, the union has never taken a position one way or the other on abortion, and this was the grounds on which the delegation abstained (as has happened on previous occasions). The union's representatives at the Women's TUC conference that presented the motion to the main Congress had also abstained.
It does make a change for my union to do something right for once ....
3 comments:
Your union has never "taken a position one way or the other on abortion" ?
That's why I, as a practising Catholic, took the decision seven years ago to leave my union. They were, and now are, promoting abortion help in the workplace. It`s everywhere : posters in the loos, regular e-mails, offers of special contacts with family planning organisations, free morning-after pills, discounts for major high street outlets (including lap-dancing clubs).
I admire your broad-mindedness.
I wish I could be so nuanced. It`s such a handicap being so forthright.
Zero says
Teachers are in a very vulnerable position and you are very brave not being part of a union.Maybe being part of a union that hasn't taken a position one way or another " up to now" is better than none.
Out of curiosity what line of work are you in Bernardette?
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