Solidarity with our sisters internationally on March 8 2017

In the wake of the intensifying war against women internationally and the growing resistance to it by women worldwide, there is a call for an international women’s strike on International Women’s Day. March 8. Inspired by the women’s strikes first in Iceland and then in Poland last autumn in response to the attempts to criminalise abortion, women in Argentina in the organisation Ni Una Menos[i] (Not one less) launched a call in autumn 2016 for an international strike on March 8 to protest all forms of violence against women – including economic violence.

The magnificent women’s protests against Trump on January 21 have given a further impetus to the movement with the call being taken up in the US itself[ii] and in more than 30 countries across the globe[iii].  From Australia to Brazil, from Paraguay to Poland women are planning action women are rising.

As labour movement activists in Britain, we are organising to celebrate March 8 2017 in many diverse ways, including participating in the 10^th Million women Rising march on March 11. Some of us will participate in actions organised by Global Women’s strike in London as part of the international call.

We pledge to argue within our unions, our women’s groups and wherever else we are active to send messages of support to the network organising the international women’s strike and to build for future actions called by the network

Hannah Bargawi, Department of Economics, SOAS, University of London

Eileen Best, UNISON, Manchester

Marian Brain, CWU, Birmingham

Monique Buchli Islington Unite Community, London Socialist Film Co-op

Kat Burdon Manley, UNISON

Justine Canady, UCLU Gender and Feminism Society, NCAFC Women and Non-Binary Rep

Caroline Carney, Disability activist, West London

Cristina Chimisso, The Open University

Jane Connor, Walthamstow Central LP, Greenwich UNISON

Terry Conway, Islington Unite Community (Vice Chair) Islington N CLP

Amy Cousens SWAN (socialist women and nonbinary) group, Leeds

Ruth Clarke, Women’s Officer Islington North CLP

Hazel Croft, UNISON

Merry Cross, Berks DPAC

Serafina Cuomo, Birkbeck College, University of London

Felicity Dowling, Principal Speaker Left Unity

Eve Drayton Hill (retired). Labour International, Unite.

Sara Farris , Senior Lecturer at Goldsmiths, University of London

Eleanor Firman, Branch Secretary East London Unite Community

Ann Flowers, Retired

Mary Foster, visual artist, Newport

Zoe Gardner, Researcher and activist

Tessa van Gelderen, Brent Central CLP, GMB

Winmarie Greenland, NUT retired member and Left Unity

Priyamvada Gopal, Cambridge

Sandra Holliday, Secretary WLG/Momentum Rhondda Cynon Taff

Yemi Hailemariam, Islington Unite Community

Jo Halliday, Islington South & Finsbury CLP

Elaine Harrison, Newcastle Unite Community

Louise Harrison, Doncaster womens lives matter campaigner

Rosamine Hayeem, Harrow East Labour Party branch

Elise Hendricks Screaming Violets

Elaine Heffernan, UCU Exec elect

Sandra Holliday, Secretary WLG/Momentum Rhondda Cynon Taff

Jade Hope, Sheffield University, Left Unity

Kate Hudson National Secretary Left Unity

Chris Hurley, West London Left Unity

Rosie Kane, Glasgow

Susan Keegan Wirral

Bev Keenan, Manchester Unite Community

Jane Kelly, Socialist Resistance

Jenny Kidman, Vice Chair, East London Unite Community

Alice Kilroy, Bannermaker, Unite and Left Unity

Lucy Lepchani, Greenham Women are Everywhere

Alison Lord, UCU

Kate MacKenzie, UNISON, feminist and socialist

Lesley Mahmood, Liverpool anti-cuts activist, Left Unity

Amina Mangera, SE London Unite Community

Sarah Mayo, Screaming Violets

Sharon McCourt, Birmingham Left Unity

Sal Morawetz, GMB delegate to Nottingham East LP

Mambenga Mwakana, East London Unite Community

Julie Morrow, NUT, RISE, Left Unity

Diana Neslen Labour Party, UNISON, retired

Ozlem Onaran, Professor of Economics and Director of Greenwich Political Economy Research Centre, University of Greenwich

Sarah Parker Haringey Left Unity

Susan Pashkoff, East London UNITE Community (Acting Chair), Left Unity

Liz Peretz, Oxford West and Abingdon CLP, Oxford Momentum

Joana Perrone, Brighton

Paula Peters, DPAC Activist Unite Community South East London Equalities officer.

Romayne Phoenix, Ecosocialist Network

Frances Pilling ,Portsmouth, Unite Community, socialist

Julia Poynter, East London Unite Community, Waltham Forest Trades Council rep

Ann Pridmore, Being the Boss, Leicester

Joana Ramiro, journalist

Jenny Russell, PCS (ARMS)

Natalie Sedacca, Human Rights Lawyer

Estella Schmid, “Peace in Kurdistan – Women Alliance for Kurdistan, Iraq and Syria”

Moira Smith, Bingley, West Yorkshire

Ruth Steigman, Axe the Housing Act

Sara Stevano, Department of Economics, SOAS University of London

Pam Stevens, Chair Left Unity Wales

Inbar Tamari, President Hackney NUT, Walthamstow CLP

Daniela Tavasci ,Senior Lecturer in Economics QMUL

Pip Tindall, Brighton Benefits Campaign, Enough is Enough, Left Unity

Bianca Todd, Ron Todd Foundation

Alison Treacher, Branch Secretary UNITE Community Social Action branch, Greater Manchester, Left Unity

Pilgrim Tucker, Equalities Officer Unite Community Lambeth and Southwark branch

Carol Wilcox, Chigwell, London

Cathy Wilson, Liverpool

Leanne Wood AM, Leader of Plaid Cymru

Mary Winter, Chair, People’s Assembly RCT

Tina Yemm, Nottingham NUT

Yuliya Yurechenko, Lecturer at International Business and Economics dept, Uni of Greenwich

Maggie Zolobajluk Islington Unite Community Equalities Officer

[i] The Argentinian call is here https://www.facebook.com/notes/ni-una-menos/llamamiento-al-paro-internacional-de-mujeres-8-de-marzo-2017/588055324718987

[ii] As reported in The Guardian on February 6 https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/06/women-strike-trump-resistance-power;  for further detail including the very detailed platform of demands: https://womenstrikeus.org

[iii] See http://parodemujeres.com/ for details of the international call and actions taking place in different parts of the world