CULTURE: FOR PEACE AND SOCIALISM FULL MARX FOR THE AV FESTIVAL PAGE 25 £1 Thursday March 8 2018 Proudly owned by our readers | Incorporating the Daily Worker | Est 1930 | morningstaronline.co.uk INSIDE YOUR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY EDITION WOMEN’S Louise Raw: p22 Militancy beyond myths Zita Holbourne: p15 Women and racism PAY BEGINS Gloria Mills: p10 Workplace inequality Bernadette Horton: p21 Working-class women Gail Cartmail: p10 Pregnancy discrimination TODAY Ruth Serwotka: p18 International Women’s Day marks the fi rst day New women’s movement of the year female workers ‘start getting paid’ Charlotte Hughes: p20 by Ceren Sagir TUC general secretary mark 100 years since some much pressure on “women to Frances O’Grady said: “Nearly 50 women were fi rst allowed to look good, be the perfect wife, Women tackling poverty years since the Ford machinists vote, women still face unac- the perfect mother and bring A WHOPPING gender pay gap went on strike at Dagenham, ceptable pay disparities.” home a salary. Men are not means that the average female the UK still has one of the worst Unison Wales also revealed judged in the same way and Karen Ingala Smith: p18 worker starts getting paid for gender pay gaps in Europe. today that 70 per cent of 150 the expectations and aspira- the year today — on Interna- “Women in the UK will only women polled did not believe tions we ask of them are much On domestic violence tional Women’s Day. start to get paid properly when equality in the workplace had lower.” TUC research revealed that we have better-paid part-time and been achieved, with more than Shadow women and equali- women work for free for more fl exible jobs. And higher wages half having witnessed or expe- ties minister Dawn Butler than two months of the year, in key sectors like social care.” rienced sexism. said: “Today we celebrate Lynda Walker: p22 when their wages are compared Ms O’Grady said the best Unison Wales how far we have come in the with those of men. fi rst step for women women’s offi cer fight for equality, while also Women and the vote The gender pay gap for full- worried about pay Jenny Griffi n said recognising how far we still and part-time employees cur- was to join a union that there’s so have to go. rently stands at over 18 per cent. as “workplaces that “It is time to address these But in some industries, recognise unions deep-rooted inequalities. Mary Davis: p22 women have to wait until April are more likely to “The next Labour govern- or even May for their “Women’s have family friendly ment will introduce radical On the origins of IWD Pay Day.” policies and fair pay.” ADDRESSING reforms to tackle the structural In education, the gender pay Shadow work and INEQUALITIES: barriers facing women across gap is currently more than 26 pensions secretary Frances O’Grady our society.” per cent, so the average woman Debbie Abrahams said: Women’s rights campaigners Sabby Dhalu: p14 eff ectively works for free for over “On International across Britain are taking part a quarter of the year and has to Women’s Day in protests today to mark Inter- Fighting sexism and racism wait until April 7 to start earning and the year national Women’s Day. the same as the average man. in which we Turn to page 5 This edition is being provided to delegates attending the TUC Women’s Conference with the compliments of Unite Morning Star morningstaronline.co.uk 2 Thursday news morningstaronline March 8 2018 @m_star_online ■ NUCLEAR POWER EDF backs down on pay cut for snow NUCLEAR plant bosses backed down yesterday over their attempt to stop staff pay during last week’s bad weather. ■ ECONOMY Negotiators from unions Unite, GMB and Prospect won the agreement fol- lowing a sit-in at Hicnkley Working women Point C by about 600 Keir Bam workers angry at EDF chiefs’ refusal to pay wages when snow stopped falling far behind work last week. After being told to return to their lodg- real living wage ings last Thursday and not being able to work the weekend, staff were by Ceren Sagir The Fawcett Society’s Jem- texted that they wouldn’t ima Olchawski said the reason be paid for the Friday, women were more likely to be Saturday or Sunday. MILLIONS of working women in in low-paid work was partly due Unite regional offi cer Britain face fi nancial insecurity to the need for fl exible or part- Rob Miguel said: “Unite with a third earning less than time work. welcomes the constructive the living wage and no savings, She said: “It’s also because approach to industrial new research out today reveals. society undervalues women relations adopted by EDF Nearly half of women have and the work they do. Jobs during negotiations.” under £100 saved and over 30 dominated by women such as GMB senior convener per cent of the women surveyed caring roles are consistently Brendan Stack said the have more than £1,000 of debt, amongst the lowest paid. talks were “more challeng- the poll found. “To maximise the talent ing than fi rst envisaged Living Wage Foundation available to them recruiters due to previous issues.” director Tess Lanning said: should make all jobs fl exible “The precariousness of life for by default, so a wider range of women earning little more people can progress at work. than the government mini- “We’d urge larger employers mum shows the need for more to look closely at the nature ■ MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN VISIT employers to take a stand by and causes of the pay gap in paying the real Living Wage their organisation and make an based on what people need to action plan to close it.” make ends meet.” Nearly all of the women said Corbyn pushes May to end Research shows that 3.4 mil- they worry about their fi nan- lion women in work (26 per cial situation and 66 per cent cent) earn less than the real did not foresee an improvement living wage compared to 16 soon. arms contracts with Saudis per cent of all men [email protected] by Lamiat Sabin potentially hundreds of people Parliamentary Reporter in this country.” She attempted to justify the The Workers’ Stately Saudi blitz by saying it was JEREMY CORBYN pressed requested by the Yemeni gov- Home sends greetings to Theresa May yesterday to can- ernment — a puppet of Riyadh. cel arms deals and demand She said Britain also supports a ceasefi re in Yemen at her the war and it is backed by the all women on this upcoming private dinner with UN security council. Saudi Crown Prince Moham- Only 6 per cent of British special International med bin Salman. people support arms sales to The British government is Saudi Arabia, according to a Women’s Day “colluding” in war crimes by Populus poll of 2,000 people selling weapons to Saudi Ara- published yesterday. bia, the Labour leader said dur- Meanwhile Saudi Arabia has ing Prime Minister’s Questions. doubled its rate of executions Unite National Publishing Britain also has military to 133 since Mohammed bin offi cers advising and training Salman was appointed to his and Media Branch LE/E the coalition bombing Yemen. position last July, according to The royal’s red-carpet wel- new research by human rights come yesterday, before he charity Reprieve. lunched with Elizabeth Wind- If this rate of an average of sor, triggered protests last night just over 16 per month contin- Comradely outside Downing Street. ues, this year could see 200 Saudi Arabia is Britain’s big- executions, the highest number greetings to all gest arms customer, having ever recorded in Saudi Arabia licensed £4.6 billion-worth of in one year. on International equipment since beginning its Reprieve director Maya Foa ONGOING PROTESTS: Demonstrators on a bus at Buckingham Palace and Women’s Day bombardment of its southern said: “Beneath his glossy public (above) a statue is placed near Parliament by Save the Children neighbour Yemen in early 2015. image, Mohammed bin Salman Mr Corbyn pointed out that is one of the most brutal leaders ernisation programme Vision During an urgent question in Germany has suspended arms in the kingdom’s recent history.” 2030, dismissed as a “mirage” the Commons, shadow foreign sales to the warmongering She called on Ms May to urge by Amnesty International. secretary Emily Thornberry monarchy. him to “commute the sentences An inaugural annual meeting accused the British govern- Ms May claimed that Britain’s of all child protesters facing of a UK-Saudi strategic partner- ment of “bowing and scraping” Gareth Lowe Sarah Bennett relationship with Saudi Arabia execution.” ship council will be held at No 10 to Prince Salman and his regime. Chair Secretary — helping it kill thousands in Mohammed bin Salman is during his three-day visit to dis- [email protected] Yemen — has “saved the lives of behind Saudi Arabia’s mod- cuss £100bn of Saudi investment. Star comment: p12 morningstaronline.co.uk Morning Star morningstaronline news Thursday @m_star_online March 8 2018 3 ■ CHILDREN’S SERVICES KIDS’ LIVES AT RISK DUE TO £2BN TORY FUNDING HOLE McDONNELL: ‘National scandal’ as number of children in care hits highest level in three decades by Lamiat Sabin exceeded their children’s serv- Parliamentary Reporter ices budgets and have a com- bined overspend of £605 million — have seen a 40 per cent cut TORY cuts to children’s serv- in early intervention spending.