A network of men organising with the
International Wages for Housework Campaign

PO Box 287 London NW6 5QU England Tel: 020 7209 4751  Fax 020 7209 4761
PO Box 11795, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101, EE.UU.   Tel: (215) 848 1120 Fax: (215) 848 1130 payday@paydaynet.org  

Men support the 4th Global Women’s Strike on 8 March 2003

1 February 2003

Dear friend

We invite you to participate in publicising and giving practical support to the fourth Global Women’s Strike – international actions of grassroots women on 8 March 2003.

We hope you have already received the Call to Action for the Strike in 2003, which is titled Women Say No War – Invest in caring, not killing sent by the International Wages for Housework Campaign about the Strike. You will find the demands of the Strike and all details on http://womenstrike8m.server101.com.  Alternatively we could send you information by post.  An exciting 27-minute video of the first Global Women’s Strike is also available.

The first and central demand is the return of military budgets, not only an opposition to war but also to the draining of our collective wealth and resources for war. 

A growing number of men have supported this global initiative in the past and will support it again this year.  Increasingly, men are acknowledging that women demanding the military budget for caring is central to everyone’s survival, especially in the countries of the South – most of the world.  As the anti-war movement grows by leaps and bounds, and people express fury that there is always money for war but not for health, benefits, welfare of any kind, and even food, men appreciate that the demands of the Strike strengthen their own demands and respond to everyone’s needs.  As an international network of men, Payday co-ordinates men’s support for the Strike based on this understanding.

Up to now, men from 18 countries have written statements of support based on their own experience. They have given a very different view of what men think of women’s work and women’s struggle.  These statements can be seen through the Strike web site. We would be delighted to get a support statement from you and put it on the Strike website and elsewhere.

Men have also helped with computer and other technical work, videoing, transport, food preparation, childcare, etc.  A fact sheet on organising collective childcare is available from us and may give you some ideas. 

As a contribution to the Strike Payday has also collected information and statements of men who are refusing to be part of the military, especially the current war drive against Iraq.  Please see our website Refusing to kill or contact us.

Finally, your support can also take the form of financial and material donations. These are always needed and welcome.

Above all, we wish to hear from you.  Get in touch, let us know what you’re doing or plan to do to support the Global Women’s Strike, or simply contact us so we can discuss what is possible.

Power to the sisters and therefore to us all.

Benoit Martin             Dean Kendall