The president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Ms Inez McCormack, has said if the childcare issue is not resolved by the end of the year, then the job of women in unions would be to force the issue on to the national agenda. "Your job will be to make such a fuss, be so obstreperous," she told delegates at the ICTU Women's Conference yesterday. Ms McCormack was speaking at the conference for the first time as president of the ICTU. She said there was no need for further discussion on the issue of childcare.
"We do not need more working reports, we do not need more resolutions," she said. Delegates at the two-day conference represented women from various unions in both the Republic and Northern Ireland.
Ms McCormack said women in unions were there to "create space" for other women, in the same manner that women 20 years ago had created space for them through struggle and pressure.
"If we are not making a difference in the lives of ordinary women, we are not obstreperous lassies, we are comfortable lassies," she said. Ms McCormack also spoke about the high figures for bullying and harassment of women in the workplace and the role of women in Northern Ireland.
She received a standing ovation when she left the conference.
The issue of childcare was raised during four motions passed by the conference.
The Manufacturing Science Finance union put forward a motion calling on the Government and the Northern Ireland assembly to implement a national strategy for the development of childcare services.
A national pay scale for childcare workers, tax relief for employers investing in childcare and funding at local level were some of the issues the policy should contain, MSF said. Some delegates raised points about proposals in the motion for accreditation and qualification in childcare and tax allowances for childminders.
The motion passed with some votes against and some abstentions. Motions on the provision of proper creche facilities and a subsidy towards the cost of childcare were passed unanimously.
Debate on the motions raised the issue that childcare should involve men. MSF said the issue was also not simply a case of obtaining childcare but that it must be in a safe, nurturing environment with qualified childcare workers.
One delegate told the conference that a national survey had shown a minimum of £80 per week is spent on childcare and women were often working to pay for childcare.
The issue of grandmothers taking on the responsibility of childcare was raised, as was childcare for single mothers.
One delegate from the Public Services Executive Union said: "Single women are tied to children 24 hours a day with little support."
A motion was also passed on domestic violence, noting "with alarm and concern the continuing and growing serious violence against women both in the home and outside". Engagement between the Northern Ireland assembly and trade union women was called for while a motion was passed to campaign for a law in the Republic to promote equality of opportunity.
Such legislation exists in Northern Ireland, delegates heard.