Women's Equality

Some of the work that the Women's Representative Committee (WRC) has been involved with include:

A Charter for Women - The Committee have been looking at ways of implementing the Charter within ASLEF. The Charter calls for a number of demands that the majority of TUC affiliated unions in the UK are supporting. ASLEF is represented on the Charter for Women Steering Group The Steering Group is currently encouraging unions not affiliated to the Charter to sign up.

Maternity Rights - The WRC has produced best practice Maternity guidelines from the policies produced by the TOCs and FOCs and are available in the WRC's Guide to Reps below.

Cancer Screening - The WRC instigated a motion to AAD calling for all time off for cancer screening to be paid leave paid for by the employers. This motion gained the complete support of conference as it was not only mean breast and cervical cancer screening, but prostate and testicular cancer. Health and Safety has been a priority for the WRC members for some time, and they have particularly raised concerns about health and safety issues specific to women e.g. Toxic Shock Syndrome

Menopause Policy – The WRC have been working towards the introduction of policy to assist women going through the menopause. The committee prepared a report which the EC accepted and had been sent to officers to raise with TOC’s and FOC’s to formulate policies

Toilet Facilities –The committee has been working in conjunction with ASLEF’s Health and Safety Department and the National Organiser try and achieve improved toilet facilities for all members. A survey of Health and Safety Reps has been undertaken and a working party has been formed which the committee has a place on.

TUC – The WRC sends a delegation to the Women’s TUC Conference every year. In 2009 ASLEF submitted motions on increasing research and awareness of ovarian cancer and the right to flexible working for women.

The committee also sends a delegate to the STUC Women’s Conference. In 2009 a motion was submitted on alcohol misuse and the treatment provision available to Scottish women.

The Women’s Representative Committee have written a guide to assist reps in understanding women’s issues in the workplace. It covers issues like pregnancy, maternity leave, parental leave, toilet facilities, sexual harrassment and more. To view the Womens Representative Committee's Guide for Reps click on the icon:  

International issues:

Colombia -The WRC have been supporting trade union sisters in Colombia who are face daily imprisonment and 'disappearance' because of their trade union activities. Justice for Colombia's offices are based at ASLEF head office.

Western Sahara - The WRC are supporting the Sandblast Campaign - supporting people of the Western Sahara who are being forced to live in camps in some of the most inhospitable conditions on earth since Morocco invaded their territory in the 1970s.

The Womens Representative Committee produces a newsletter called 'Sisters on the Move'. This is available to all women members, if you do not recieve your copy please contact Head Office on 020 7317 8600. Alternatively you can view a copy online.