From Sandra Kennie

The STUC Womens Committee has changed its working practice this year and has moved away from all formal committee meeting to a mixture of formal and campaigning meetings.

The campaigning meetings have four task groups to take forward the Women's agenda.

Task Group 1 - Strategy and Communications

This group has had a meeting with Jackie Ballie MSP to identify future opportunities and areas where they can work together to further the Women's Agenda, they have also met with Kate Maclean MSP where they discussed a number of issued around the Women's Agenda.

Task Group 2 - Workplace and Employment

This group has work with the E O C on Equal Pay, on producing a charter for the Prevention of Bullying and Harassment, and the secretary has given a presentation to the D T I on the S T U C view's on work-life balance, parental leave and maternity/paternity leave.

Task Group - 3 Representation and Participation

This group's remit is to examine how to take forward increasing the participation and representation of women.. They have had meeting with the orginal members of the Women's Co-ordination group to resurrect the 50/50 campaign. They have also made submission to the Government's consultation on Public Appointments.

Task Group 4 - Health and Safety

This group have had meetings with Glasgow Rape Crisis, Scottish Women's Aid and they have also contacted Susan Deacon M S P, Margaret Smith and Rosie Illet requesting meetings to take forward the Health issues of the Women's Agenda.

The committee has also ran its very successful Women's Weekend School and the topics of this years schools have been, Know Your Rights, Presentation Skill,

Assertiveness, and Learning the Language. I have helped the tutors on the Known Your Rights and Assertiveness schools and the feed back from the women who attended these schools was very positive, they found them beneficial and a very enjoyable atmosphere to learn in.