On This Day, 8th June | Irish Left Archive

1975

Irish Women United was constituted

Irish Women United was constituted at a conference on the 8th of June 1975.

Their magazine, Banshee, states:

What is Irish Women United?

We are a group of Women's liberationists who believe that the best perspective for struggle against women's oppression in Ireland lies in an ongoing fight around the charter of demands printed here.

We came together originally in April 1975 as a few individual women interested in the idea of building a conference to discuss a charter; what its demands should be and how a campaign should be built.

At this conference on June 8th, attended by approximately 100 women, we constituted ourselves as a separate group, Irish Women United -- the only criteria for joining to be agreement on the demands of the Charter.

Irish Women United works on the basis of general meetings (discussions and action planning, at present every week in Dublin), join actions (e.g. pickets, public meetings, workshops, at present on women in trade unions, contraception, social welfare and political theory) and consciousness-raising groups. — What is Irish Women United? From the 2nd issue of Banshee

The charter of Irish Women United is as follows:

IRISH WOMEN UNITED CHARTER

PREAMBLE:

At this time, the women of Ireland are beginning to see the need for, and are fighting for liberation. This is an inevitable step in the course of full human liberation. Although within the movement, we form diverse groups with variant ways of approaching the problem, we have joined together around these basic issues. We pledge ourselves to challenge and fight sexism in all forms and oppose all forms of exploitation of women which keep them oppressed. These demands are all part of the essential right of women to self-determination of our own lives — equality in education and work; control of our own bodies; an adequate standard of living and freedom from sexist conditioning. We present these demands as the following women’s charter.

1. THE REMOVAL OF ALL LEGAL AND BUREAUCRATIC OBSTACLES TO EQUALITY:

1. i.e. with regard to tenancies, mortgages, pension schemes, taxation, jury service, equal responsibility for children, social welfare benefits and hire purchase agreements.
2. The right to divorce.

The Constitution should be reviewed with a view to examining the role of women and updated to eliminate discrimination against women.

2. FREE LEGAL CONTRACEPTION:

1. State financed birth-control clinics.
2. The right [t]o a free, legal and safe abortion.

3. THE RECOGNITION OF MOTHERHOOD AND PARENTHOOD AS A SOCIAL FUNCTION WITH SPECIAL PROVISION FOR:

1. State support for programmes implementing the socialisation of housework, i.e. community laundries, kitchens, eating places etc.
2. State provision of an adequate place to live, irrespective of sex, age, number of children and marital status.
3. The provision of local authority, free of charge, twenty-four-hour nurseries, giving every satisfaction in respect of hygiene and education; to be staffed by trained personnel and under the control of the communities in which they are located.

4. EQUALITY IN EDUCATION—STATE-FINANCED, SECULAR, CO-EDUCATIONAL SCHOOLS WITH FULL COMMUNITY CONTROL AT ALL LEVELS, SPECIFICALLY:

1. An end to enforced conditioning of sex roles through curriculum, teaching methods and materials (i.e. textbooks, games etc.)
2. The provision of local pre-school centres for all desiring to use them
3. An end to segmentation of education, to be replaced by fully comprehensive second and third level schools, incorporating both technical and academic learning.
4. Ending of discriminatory barring from particular courses traditionally relegated to men; encouragement for women to enter these courses through programmes of reserved places, etc.
5. Funding and encouragement of a Women’s Studies Programme at second and third level.
6. Provision of free creches on campuses
7. Provision of a women’s centre on campuses
8 Equal access to further education for all women, regardless of age or marital status.

5 THE MALE RATE FOR THE JOB WHERE MEN AND WOMEN ARE WORKING TOGETHER:

Where the labour force is wholly female, the jobs done by these women should be upgraded and a national minimum wage implemented, linked to the cost of living increase. We reject the use of job evaluation techniques for the purpose of negotiating pay claims.

The right of women to have access to all types of employment, including all types of skilled, and promotion regardless of marital status, pregnancy or maternity.

The right to training and re-training for all occupations including apprenticeships and the present system of apprenticeships to be restructured. That it be compulsory for all employers to make readily available day release courses, with pay, for all employees.

Working conditions to be, without deterioration of present conditions, the same for women as for men: in addition, the institution of worker-determined flexible hours. The removal of protective legislation should not be a condition to gaining equal pay, and should be extended to include men.

The right to statutory maternity leave of twenty weeks with full net pay; additional leave with pay in cases of illness connected therewith, the right to attend pre-natal and post-natal clinics as required.

Prohibition of dismissal from employment on the grounds of pregnancy or maternity.

Employers to ensure that every effort is made to facilitate employees who are pregnant insofar as the latter’s duties are concerned, the guarantee of reintegration into employment without loss of status or service, the right to further training or re-training after statutory or prolonged maternity leave, and the option for equivalent forms of paternity leave.

6. State provision of funds and premises for the establishment of women’s centres in major population areas to be controlled by the women themselves.

7. The right of all women to a self-determined sexuality. — Charter of Irish Women United, from Banshee magazine.

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