{"id":20111,"date":"2020-03-09T16:03:13","date_gmt":"2020-03-09T16:03:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=20111"},"modified":"2020-11-12T12:44:31","modified_gmt":"2020-11-12T12:44:31","slug":"international-womens-day-period-dignity-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=20111","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;What a fantastic way to celebrate&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"fb-root\"><\/div>\n<p>Unite celebrated International Women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Day on Sunday (March 8) as it honoured women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s contributions to society and made renewed calls for women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s rights and empowerment in and out of the workplace.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Unite highlighted how women are making a massive difference in the workplace in a new video that featured a strike last year led by a largely female workforce that ended in victory.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Cleaners, security guards, and vending, laundry and environmental operatives working for outsourcing firm Mitie at Sellafield secured an historic Living Wage pay rise after joining together and walking out, as explained in the film below.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mzLpU4U6kq0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The union also made an especially strong showing at the TUC Women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Conference in the run-up to International Women&#8217;s Day last week. Among many other Unite contributions, Unite executive council member Susan Matthews (pictured below), who chaired this year\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s TUC Women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Conference, gave a powerful opening speech.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Reflecting on the theme of this year&#8217;s conference, Standing Strong, Matthews said, &#8220;We are standing strong against those who wish to deny us our equality and autonomy.We are standing strong against the roll back on the gains that have been hard won and hard fought for by sisters in the trade union movement. And standing strong in solidarity with our sisters across the world against gender-based violence and harassment.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We must build a stronger trade union movement, one that reflects the millions of women in the workforce and that ensures we live free from the threat of violence, of hate or discrimination,&#8221; she added.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s remember that through organisation, strength and solidarity we can achieve change and build a better future.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-20112\" src=\"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/iwd-susan-matthews.jpg\" alt=\"iwd susan matthews\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Period dignity victories<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Also hot on the heels of International Women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Day, Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s period dignity campaign, which was officially launched as a union-wide initiative in 2018, has gone from strength to strength as more and more employers sign up to the union\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s period dignity charter.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>On Monday (March 9) car manufacturer Nissan announced it would be committing to Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s charter by providing sanitary products to all employees at no cost.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The news is a significant win for the campaign, given that Nissan is the north east\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s largest private sector employer.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Commenting on the news, Unite regional officer Nick Halton said, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bWhat a fantastic way to celebrate yesterday\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s (Sunday 8 March) International Women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Day with Nissan in Sunderland committing to Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s period dignity campaign.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u015bNissan is a pragmatic employer which understands the importance of ensuring sanitary products are accessible to all employees at no cost,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he added.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In addition to\u00c2\u00a0lobbying to provide free sanitary products in all workplaces and public buildings,\u00c2\u00a0Unite&#8217;s campaign\u00c2\u00a0aims to tackle the stigma and embarrassment around periods.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Unite regional coordinator Suzanne Reid, who is among those leading on Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s campaign said, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe are delighted that Nissan is the latest organisation to sign up to Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s campaign and follows in the footsteps of such high profile employers in the north east as Rolls Royce at Washington and Sunderland city council.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u015bUnite will continue to encourage other regional employers, as well as nationally, to follow Nissan\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s progressive lead in the weeks and months ahead.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Scotland<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Unite has also been a key player in garnering support for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-51618103\">landmark bill in Scotland<\/a>, which passed a stage-one vote unanimously\u00c2\u00a0on February 25 in the Scottish Parliament. If approved, the Period Products Bill, introduced by Labour MSP Monica Lennon, will\u00c2\u00a0provide free access to sanitary products to &#8220;all who need them&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The bill follows on from previous legislation in the Scottish parliament in 2018 which mandates free sanitary products for all students and pupils in Scotland.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The present Period Products Bill was initially opposed by the Scottish National Party (SNP) but the party made a U-turn after campaigning pressure from Unite and other organisations.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In the run-up to the initial vote on the bill, Unite sent more than 2,000 emails in a 40-hour period and also helped stage a rally outside Holyrood to ramp up the pressure on the Scottish parliament to back the bill, explained Unite regional women and equalities officer Siobhan McCready.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u015bNow we are entering stage two where costings and how the legislation will be rolled out are considered. This is when bills are most likely to\u00c2\u00a0be watered down, so we will be keeping up the pressure,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she explained.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>McCready, who has been campaigning for period dignity, beginning on a local level, since 2014, said Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s campaign has been \u00e2\u20ac\u015btruly phenomenal\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 after more and more employers have signed up the union\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s period dignity charter.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThanks to campaigning on this issue, which has brought Unite together with a range of other organisations, charities and politicians, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve seen a sea-change in attitudes toward period dignity in Scotland,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she said.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>She highlighted the construction industry in particular as one that has embraced a commitment to ensuring women have access to free pads and tampons at work.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been especially heartening to see such strong, fantastic support we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve received from men,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve really built a strong consensus around the idea that all women should have free access to sanitary products.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>McCready said while there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s much to celebrate about Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s period dignity campaign, more work needed to be done.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe must get to the stage where free access to pads and tampons is total normalised \u00e2\u20ac\u201c that it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s an everyday, common thing. We must challenge the narrative that women should simply\u00c2\u00a0shoulder the burden of being\u00c2\u00a0prepared wherever they go. And we need to widen that narrative to include women who are going through the menopause.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u015bFor menopausal women, who are going through a very difficult time already, periods can be especially unpredictable and at times very heavy,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she explained. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bI&#8217;d like to see the energy of our campaign go into this direction so that we\u00c2\u00a0support all women, no matter who they are what stage of life they&#8217;re in.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Unite celebrated International Women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Day on Sunday (March 8) as it honoured women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s contributions to society and made renewed calls for women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s rights and empowerment in and out of the workplace. &nbsp; Unite highlighted how women are making a massive difference in the workplace in a new video that featured a strike last year led [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":20114,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[17],"tags":[259,1007],"wps_subtitle":"Unite marks International Women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Day as period dignity campaign gains strength","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20111"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=20111"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20111\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24664,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20111\/revisions\/24664"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/20114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=20111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=20111"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=20111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}