Eileen Best of the national women’s committee, proposing a motion on facility time, told delegates that the attack on facility time by the likes of the Taxpayers’ Alliance was entirely ideological.
She stressed that research had shown that facility time saved money – but that such facts were simply ignored or rubbished.
For the NEC, Graeme Smith said that “we all know the value of facility time, but I want to focus on where this attack comes from.
“It’s from the Taxdodgers’ Alliance,” he added, together with the right-wing Reform Campaign.
“For every £1 spent on having union reps” in a working environment, he continued, “£9 goes back into the local economy. The facts are with us.”
Jo Rust of Norfolk County said that: “Eric Pickles declared himself delighted as being able to attack facility time. Cameron’s government openly discriminates against women.
“Like his cuts,” she said, “attacks to facility time impact on women more.”
Conference instructed the NEC to:
- continue to campaign for the right of all activists to the facility time required to do their jobs;
- include the women’s perspective in this;
- highlight to members the attacks that are being made on facility time.