WOMEN’S GLOBAL STRIKE 8 March 2000

Happy New Year 2000 -- It’s going to be a striking one! Emails are arriving fast from all around the world with women’s reasons, demands and suggestions for going on Strike.  Please let us know responses to your raising and discussing the Strike, what your plans are and any media coverage you’re already getting.

From SPAIN:
Barcelona -- weekly meetings and working sessions to co-ordinate the Strike in Spain. Information is being circulated via mailings, e-mail, speaking events and meetings.  To date we're working with trade unions, feminists co-ordinating the march called by Quebec, Canada, church volunteers, immigrant women, lesbian women, childcare workers, social workers, university staff...
Media: women in the European and Latin American Network of Pirate Radios (Women Creating Communication Spaces) are circulating a tape in Spanish with a jingle (2 min) and a radio programme of interviews of people saying why they support the strike (1 hour). 
Trade Unions: some have started to take up the call for the Strike proposing a one hour stop and/or incorporating it into their 8 March events.
Church: groups have been written to explaining why it is important for religious and non-religious women to support the strike.
Men: a number of men have been in touch offering donations and/or asking for information about how to support.
Zaragoza: the Colectivo Ruda have called a meeting on Tues 18 January for women's groups and trade unions to organize for the strike.

From the PHILLIPINES:
We have organized a meeting with several NGOs. Many of them were convinced this action was long overdue and most of them pledged to do all that they can.  Our plans include: 1) Publicize the strike and its objectives on radio, television, print and internet.  2) Organize a speakers’ bureau.  3) Organize a lobby to get the President to issue a presidential proclamation making March 8, Women’s Day, a paid non-working day.  4) Make the day a "No Housework Day" for women. Organize women’s parties, picnics, etc. in communities and villages so women enjoy themselves to send the message that they have had enough of overwork and need time for themselves.  5) Make the day a "No Shopping Day" as a way of protesting the way the consumer industry, the health industry included, has made profits and taken over the lives of women.  6) Establish a network to carry on the objectives of the strike even after this is over.
For each planned activity, there are NGOs assigned to coordinate it and to link it up with the other activities. The Foundation for Huwomanity-Centred Development (FHCD) was asked to act as Secretariat for the activities.  We were deluged by calls from interested women and groups. We have sent out a call for volunteers to help.

From the USA:
There is now talk of an hour-long strike of trade union women from coast to coast in the USA.  Women know we're entitled to pay equity and without it we give an extra subsidy to employers every day we work for them.  A great pay equity petition, which union women are already endorsing, will soon be launched by the Wages for Housework Campaign.  But is it enough to demand pay equity with men in one country?  Can we allow US and other multinationals -- which pay women less than men in their base country -- to pay women in other countries far less for the same or even more intense work?  Globalisation is clearly pulling women's wages down.  How about using globalisation to pull them UP!  We want pay equity not only in one country but in the world.  We must make multinationals pay the same rate for the job wherever they invest.  After all, their managers and contractors are paid US or European wages in dollars whatever country they work in, why not the rest of us?  Wherever we work, we're giving the same eight or more hours of our lives.  We can never get that time back, so at least we should get some decent money in return.  Anyone who seriously wants to end poverty has to agree that this is a major step to undermine the poverty of the poorest women and therefore also the children who depend on us. 

We can use the Global Women's Strike to make clear that that's what women are demanding wherever we are, in both industrial and non-industrial countries.  The Third World has been the exploitation playground of the multinationals to divide us and force us to fight over the same jobs, so we are paid the least everywhere, especially to women. We can begin to reverse that by demanding Global Pay Equity.  Then stage two of the Battle of Seattle against the World Trade Organisation, which fronts for the multinationals, will be the Battle for Global Pay Equity for women.   And if men want the same global pay equity with us, we say, What a good idea!  We'll support you if you support us. 

SINCE DECEMBER WE HAVE HEARD FROM WOMEN IN:
ALBANIA, Tirana -- promoting the Strike there and in Kosovo, translating radio jingle and leaflet into Albanian, asking if anyone can translate into Macedonian, Serbo-croatian or Serbian.
AUSTRALIA, Brisbane -- women’s weekly radio Megaherz community radio 4ZzZ wants contacts to interview for the Strike.
BURKINA FASSO -- calling a workshop to mobilise women. "In my town all women are involved in small businesses from 8-11 in the morning.  What they make from selling at the market allows them to buy food.  Most are illiterate." (See demands.) 
ENGLAND -- University of Exeter, Guild Communications Officer and National Women’s Committee. 
London SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) students will be holding regular Strike stalls on campus.  International Campaign in Defence of Women’s Rights in Iran, The Middle Eastern Centre for Women’s Studies, Medusa socialist Women magazine are joining.
Trade union UNISON (Housing Association Branch) discussing model resolution - watch the website for more details. 
CAMEROON, Yaounde -- NGO AFEDYCAM wants to come to London to participate in Strike.
CANADA -- Status of Women Canada. 
Alberta, Calgary Revolutionary Anarchist Kollective (RKA) joining. 
Montreal -- CDEACF Information Centre on Women’s situation and adult education.  Ontario, Haldimand-Norfolk region.   Kingston --  Raging Grannies striking on the 8th, sent a song to the tune of: "Put Your Arms Around Me, Honey, Hold Me Tight" (from the 1900’s) with promises of more to come.  "Women of the world, Let us throw off our chains, Let us have a taste of economic gains. Oh, oh, March 8 we will strike, With all women we’ll unite.  We want women’s work made a priority, International Women’s Day, a holiday.  Oh,oh, housework done for pay, Third World debt cancelled today. Celebrate the women who are in your life, Mother, sister, granny, auntie, Daughter, wife.  Oh, oh, I always knew, What a woman could do!"
Toronto -- Human Rights Project at Low Income Families Together, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) pledge support, will incorporate Strike in their 85^th celebrations this year.
Vancouver -- leaflet now translated into Farsi (Persian) and publicised in Iranian press, and media in Vancouver.
CHILE -- Democratic Party Youth manager working with a group of housewives.
Valparaiso -- comments about the Chilean election and the difficulty to vote when there isn’t much difference between the candidates.
ECUADOR -- National Council of Women welcomes the Strike: "It couldn’t have come at a better time as we’re having conferences to discuss waged and unwaged domestic work and want to connect it to social security [welfare and pensions]."  Ecuador is the first country we know of whose constitution recognises unwaged housework as productive. 
GREECE -- Non Aligned Women’s Movement can’t organise a strike but will take part in other ways - translating, circulating and publicizing information.
KURDISTAN -- Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights, whose membership is mostly women, also joining.
MEXICO, San Luis (see demand below).
THE NETHERLANDS, Ospel and Biddinghuizen.
PAKISTAN, Quetta -- Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan sent information about a thousand women and girls participating in demonstrations in Islamabad on International Human Rights Day.
PERU, Lima -- Centro de Capacitacion de Trabajdoras del Hogar (Centre for the Empowerment of Domestic Workers) publicising Strike on their daily community radio programme, discussing what actions to take. Greetings form the Andes Centre for Education and Promotion which will distribute information to Indigenous women in Cusco, the National Network for the Promotion of Women and the National Network for Rural Women.
PUERTO RICO -- see demand about Vieques Island below.
RWANDA, Kigali -- Prefed Regional Programme for Development Training and Exchanges.
SENEGAL -- Association for the Promotion of Senegalese Women will be sending their demands and their proposed actions.
SPAIN – Barcelona -- Social Theatre group working for the abolition of Third World debt and against immigration controls, wants to support the Strike.  Faculty of Biology, Barcelona University, meeting and putting together proposals from different collectives and women, will distribute and circulate information.
Basque Country -- want more information about Ireland and Wages for Housework.
SWEDEN, Gothenburg.
SWITZERLAND, Bern -- Feminist Coalition Switzerland.
TAIWAN, Taipei -- will be holding a Strike.
USA, Colorado, Florida, Los Angeles -- man from KPFK Pacifica Radio & microradio "radio clandestina" wants to do interviews with women for March 8. 
New Mexico -- posted information on several women’s web sites...will play the jingle on 24 hour a day women’s radio show on the Internet. 
New Orleans (see demand below).
New York -- "I have thought of this thing over and over...what would happen if every woman in the world refused to go to work due to the discrimination and harassment we receive every day?... glad to do something however small"
Ohio
San Diego -- woman from Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space returning from WTO in Seattle sends news and congratulations for the Strike, and an article about the Battle of Seattle which we quote from below.  She is glad to see our figures on military spending and asks why they are not in our demands.  All our demands are based on changing priorities FROM WAR TO LIFE AND THE CARERS OF LIFE.
Washington, Thurston County -- National Organisation FOR Women (NOW).  St. Louis -- University Hospital "I can’t effectively strike since I have direct patient responsibility in my paid job and don’t have unpaid care responsibility at home."  What about circulating information to patients and staff and getting their comments?  In Britain cuts to health services are killing patients, older people are being refused care and starved to death.  A strike by staff with the support of patients would help to put an end to this murder.
WALES, Gwynnyd (see demand below).

WHERE ARE YOU?  Reporter for magazine Planeta Humano (Human Planet) thinks Strike is a very good idea, wants to report about it.
Koop 91.7 Community Radio (somewhere in the world) is announcing the Strike on their news. 

MEN ARE ALSO INVOLVED  Payday men’s network have issued a statement and is asking all men supporting the Strike to send a message explaining why and what they will be doing.  They are asking men to donate time and money for the Strike.

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REASONS AND DEMANDS FROM WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD

BURKINA FASSO  "Women are not allowed to make decisions in the home.  When children want to get married only the father’s decision counts."  "Women are an object of pleasure.  We make love willingly or unwillingly, without pleasure."  A nurse.  "Single women are given no value."  "Women are not allowed to carry out any project even if we have the means to."  "Women civil servants have little time to look after our babies -- one hour a day.  More time for breastfeeding."  "Men continue to make women suffer. Beatings, denial of responsibility.  Women are denied the right to speak.  The suffering of a polygamous."

CANADA  "When women’s work is recognised it will be the end of racial and sexual discrimination.  All discrimination among human beings is based on discrimination against women."  "Solidarity for all women in the world who have to live on the planet without having their rights recognised - a monstrous injustice."  Montreal  "For on-site licensed childcare at worksites, flexible work hours for mothers, options for well paid non sweatshop work from home offices, tax benefits for having and raising children."  Vancouver  "No corporate rights without human rights." Toronto

ENGLAND  "To support my sisters around the world and for myself.  We do the world’s work while big business profits and wrecks the planet.  I am also striking as a worker in Haringey Council, we’re protesting against cuts in our wages, conditions and services."  London

MEXICO  "The work housewives do in the home must be recognised in some way.  For example, here in San Luis it is important to fight for the same rights to your things when you separate in marriage or at least to give the wife a decent wage for her work as a wife, mother and housewife.  Most women are left without anything, having to support their children."

PUERTO RICO  "Full participation in decision making.  Women must decide about social change.  In particular, the US military base in the Vieques Island must go.  High incidences of cancer.  Women and girls have reported assaults by US marines including sexual assault and rapes.  Peace is not a privilege it is a right." Vieques Island

SPAIN  "Either we change the world this century or never.  Either we change it this decade or we’ll be left without the forests, without indigenous people in Chiapas, without fertile land to cultivate.  We don’t appear in the history books even though we are the real protagonists."  University of Barcelona.  "I have worked all my life, raising two daughters and a son, looking after my parents in my home and my mother in law until she died.  Today my years of waged work do not afford me a dignified old age."  "So that we are not punished for choosing to stay home and raise our children - even when we are professional women with university degrees - in order to contribute better human beings to society."  "Because women are a high percentage in the Church."
"Breast milk should be part of national accounts, subsidies for breastfeeding mothers, mothers at home and all mothers in general." 

USA  "I work full time raising four boys with little or no help from my husband.  Also taking care of my father in law during his final days.  For this I get no gratitude, no time, no help.  I think it is about time that a woman’s thankless job becomes widely recognised.  It is time for the men of the world to stand up and take notice that without our work they would have nothing."  Florida.  "Stop the violence towards women ... we will not be victimised any longer."  Minneapolis  "Single mother working for poverty wages -- going on Strike on behalf of working mothers everywhere so that we can be respected."  "To support all women everywhere in this cause.  I want recognition that my family children are my first priority over my job.  I’m in middle management and have just been told that my child having needs is no excuse for me to work at home occasionally."  "I’m a cultural refugee - my country refuses to show my work officially." New York City  "Even women bosses have been brainwashed into treating their female employees like second-hand trash.  My demand is for a four day work week for mothers with children over two years of age and a three day work week for those with children under two years of age; six to ten months maternity leave option without loss of positions -- women are contributing the generation that will take care of our bosses in their elder years!"  "Insurance and health care available to all.  Childcare provided at places of employment. Childcare paid on time and in full.  Contraception and reproductive rights for women world-wide."  New Orleans  "Immediate steps to be taken to begin cuts in military spending, starting with at least 15% now and in each subsequent year, towards the objective of total disarmament, and increased investments in education, sanitation, health and housing. Disappointment that many women who have risen in the hierarchy are not representing women and their real needs and aspirations."  WILPF  "At my university male peers pretend to be expert critics of females’ work, especially in the arts.  Female opinions are put down.  That my contributions be considered and position of authority respected.  That men not use women as pawns for their own male-solidarity."  St Louis  "Suggestion:  A month without feeding, sex, and laundry.  Women who live with men in marriage situations should symbolically move out and live with other women for the duration of the Strike.  That the Goddess and the sacredness of all women be returned at once to the consciousness of all humans on the planet."  "A mother of two may lose her children because she works to support them -- stay on welfare or lose your kids! [Comment: But mothers on welfare are forced into workfare, leaving their kids for low paid highly exploitative jobs.  Every mother is a working mother -- we all must have the choice and the financial means to decide whether or not to go out to work!] 

WALES  "Compensation for injuries due to domestic violence was ignored by the police even after being reported repeatedly." Gwynnyd
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THE BATTLE OF SEATTLE
"What was missing in most of the national coverage of the Seattle event, was the vast educational aspect of the WTO protests.  Incredible, almost flawless grassroots organising provided tens of thousands of people with an extraordinary week of free non-stop panels and discussions.  These were held in the many churches in which hundreds of speakers shared their expertise about the WTO.  The most dramatic exercise of democracy ever!... an extraordinary mood of unity among such diverse groups from many countries who participated in panels, joined the peaceful marches and shared their personal experiences of the effect of WTO "free trade" policies. ... The WTO primary function is not trade but the guarantee of unlimited free rights of multinational corporations to impose their dominance on the global economy.... The WTO is based on the premise that the only legitimate role for governments is to provide for a military and a police force. Over the past few years there has been exponential growth in military research, development and deployment especially in the US ... without public discussion or approval ... The US sells more weapons to the developing world than all other nations combined.  85% of those weapons go to non-democratic and human rights abusing nations."  [Comment: You don’t mention women.  Yet women were at Seattle in great numbers and are often the majority in human rights organisations, and even when we are not we seem to do most of the work and get the least visibility.]  Urges people to join the Global Action to Stop Militarisation in Space.
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Note from E-mailer: If you go to the Hunger Site at the UN and click a button somewhere in the world some hungry person gets a meal to eat paid for by corporate sponsors -- one click per day allowed.
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SUGGESTIONS for what you can do between now and Strike day! 
Publicity is the key to success -- the more women know about the Strike the more will participate and the more those who do will feel able to take time off, publicly or privately, with others or alone, from work outside and inside the home. 

ASK LOCAL PAPERS TO TAKE FREE LISTINGS TO ADVERTISE THE STRIKE OR DO A WEEKLY COLUMN UPDATING ON ACTIVITIES IN YOUR AREA - SEE PRESS RELEASE: COPY AND PASS IT ON

REMEMBER TO ORDER YOUR T-SHIRTS, BADGES POSTCARDS.

Leaflet translations ready in: Basque, Bengali, Brazilian Portuguese, Catalan, Croatian, English, French, Gaelic, German, Italian, Somali, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish. In process: Arabic, Chinese, Finnish, Gujerati, Persian, Punjabi, Tigrynya, Urdu. Can you offer any more?

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY  We’re still desperate for help with the cost of all the leaflets and mailings.  Please send donations in £'s to the UK, in $'s to the US, addressed to Women’s Strike Fund.