Why Women?

There are particular implications for women as workers. The increased demand of the globalisedThe increasing economic interdependence of national economies through a rapid increase in cross-border movement of goods, service, technology & capital. economy for low cost, flexible and dispensable workforce often means a preference for female labour. At the same time market forces take no account of the responsibilities of workers for the care of families and communities.

Even when women are doing to same jobs as men, they are likely to be lower paid, with less access to training and to promotion.

Specific problems, which only affect women, are sexual harassment and poor maternity provision. These issues usually form part of our campaigning and education programmes.

Why Working?

Many women workers in the global South earn less than a Living WageA wage sufficient to provide the necessities and comforts essential to an acceptable standard of living, are subject to inadequate Health and Safety provisions and are discouraged, or prevented, from organising in Trades Unions. Yet there are national laws and international Labour conventions, which lay down minimum standards for working pay and conditions – these are not being met.

Women, denied access to more desirable jobs, are more likely to have to take informal or temporary work for lower pay with a lack of benefits. Their weak job security makes it hard for women to speak out against injustice in the workplace, where management is overwhelmingly male.

As casual workers or homeworkers, the great majority of whom are women, they are less likely to organise in and be represented by unions or workers’ associations.

Why Worldwide?

Increasingly companies contract work out overseas and/or import produce from overseas. For example, the quantity of flowers coming from Africa has increased hugely in recent years. This happens because it keeps costs down for the European retailers and consumers – flowers actually went down in price when imports from Africa started - but at what cost to the workers along the supply chain?