To mark International Women's Day, Clare Moore and David Joyce share information and news about the state of gender equality in an uncertain world.
The Women’s Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions joins with unions around the world in marking International Women’s Day and stands in solidarity with women workers, their trade unions and progressive allies in the struggle for gender equality, women’s rights, peace, freedom from violence and social and economic justice for all.
Marking International Women’s Day 2025, trade unionists from North and South gathered in Dublin earlier this week to examine the issues facing women in relation to workplace health and safety.
The seminar ‘One size does not fit all’ heard about issues as diverse as accessing toilet and hygiene facilities on construction sites, to the paucity in research on women’s occupational health.
ICTU Vice President Katie Morgan chaired the session and praised trade unions for pioneering work in building menopause and reproductive health awareness. SIPTU Deputy General Secretary Ethel Buckley introduced a panel discussion which also focussed on stress and psychosocial risk, noting that women are not only exposed to risk in the workplace but frequently return home to additional caring burdens.
Carol Scheffer, CWU Official and President of UNI Global Women’s Committee outlined cross sectoral measures to tackle violence and harassment in the world of work.
Katie Morgan concluded by remarking ‘making workplaces safer and healthier is a priority for the trade union movement and a key way of achieving this is by organising workplaces. In doing this, we must also ensure that we apply a gendered lens to health and safety and ensure that we address the inequalities and challenges that women face in work and in society.’
Later this month on 20/21 March, the ICTU Women’s Seminar will be held in Dundalk and will see 150 women trade union delegates gather to examine what can be done to protect and promote equality and solidarity.
Equality Officer for ICTU Clare Moore noted in advance of this major event ‘in the current context of rising authoritarianism, a surge in far-right political forces, attacks on democracy and shrinking civic space, our struggle is now more crucial than ever.’
‘Organising workers into trade unions has been shown as being an effective way to address inequalities and tackle discrimination and this benefits the economy and society more generally.’
The trade union movement urges the Northern Ireland Executive to commit to progressive economic measures by supporting a comprehensive Employment Bill and by delivering strategic equality strategies such as the Anti-Poverty Strategy and the Gender Equality Strategy.
‘It is in the interests of both workers and employers that the Northern Ireland Executive deliver on their promises’ she continued.
‘Workers rights in Northern Ireland already lag behind those enjoyed by workers in the rest of the UK and by failing to bring forward an employment bill, we risk falling even further behind. This will impact negatively on the economy and workers but it will be especially negative for women workers,’ she concluded.
Trade unions will also support the IWD rally and March planned for Belfast on Saturday 8 March and organised by Reclaim the Agenda. Full details of events can be found here.
