- Conference
- 2026 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 15 October 2025
- Decision
- Carried
This Conference notes that there are some people who keep our workplaces running, our communities functioning and our union strong, yet way too often go unseen & unheard… low paid women.
These women on the front line can be cleaners or caterers, admin staff or Teaching Assistants and so many others. They are the backbone of our workforce yet we are still fighting for fair and equal pay.
We believe that our union is strongest when every member is seen and heard – but for a long time low paid women have been invisible where the power sits. They are the ones who sometimes have to take on two jobs just to get by, juggle childcare and also run a home.
Low paid women don’t always get the opportunity to take leadership roles, but it doesn’t mean their voices matter any less.
We need to recognise contributions not just with words, but with action too. This means putting pay equity at the top of the agenda. Every decision that’s made needs to reflect the experiences of those who live on the edge of a payslip.
Society has long undervalued the roles women tend to fill. When a man fixes a pipe it’s called “skilled labour”, when a woman cares for the elderly it’s called “unskilled”. Our union needs to recognise this imbalance and challenge it head on
Protecting low paid womens’ rights strengthens all our rights and when women have a seat at the table, our union becomes more representative, more united & more powerful.
Conference agrees that we need to redouble our commitment and make sure low paid women aren’t left standing at the back of the movement, but leading it.
Because when they rise, we all rise!!
Conference calls upon the National Womens Committee to work with the NEC to..
1)Support branches to negotiate better maternity leave, more childcare support & family – friendly polices with employers.
2. Continue to challenge discriminatory pay practices ensuring women are not paid less than men for the same or equivalent work.
3. Call on the NEC to make the fight for truly equal pay a key priority for the union.
