This resolution, submitted by Camden No. 3 Branch, was passed unanimiously by RMT Women's Conference 2009.

That this Conference notes that the economic crisis will hit working class women hard.

We note that within our industry, redundancies are already planned in administrative grades, dominated by women and are likely in the subcontracted jobs like cleaning, also dominated by women.

Women predominantly occupy the lowest paid grades in our industry, and are therefore vulnerable to the poverty inflicted by the economic crisis.

Women’s roles in household budgeting and caring mean women will struggle more than usual with rent, increased food and fuel bills, and cuts in public services.

Conference believes that working people and our families should not be made to suffer the effects of an economic crisis created by the capitalist system’s drive for profit at the expense of human need.

This Conference calls for the RMT to defend working class women and men from the effects of the economic crisis, to campaign in particular for:-

• No job cuts! Push for any company threatening mass redundancies to be taken into public ownership.

• Fight low pay. For a real living wage for all workers. Substantial pay rises with no strings attached.

• Public services to be expanded not cut.

• No evictions or repossessions. For a massive council house building programme.

• The banking and financial sector to be fully nationalised under democratic control.

• The repeal of the anti-union laws.