One hundred women from across the union movement in Tasmania will gather for Unions Tasmanias annual Womens Conference today.

The Conference will consider important issues for working women including closing the gender pay gap, creating more secure jobs, and ensuring we (finally) see the implementation of all 55 recommendations of the Respect@Work report.

Importantly, the Conference will discuss the Liberal Governments dangerous anti-protest laws, set to be voted on by Tasmanias Legislative Council when it returns later in August, and reaffirm opposition from the union movement to the legislation.

Working women know that weve had to protest and fight for what we would consider to be the most very basic of rights such as equal pay and workplaces safe from sexual harassment, said Unions Tasmania Secretary, Jessica Munday. We are still fighting for those things to be a reality today.

The recent introduction of 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave into the Parliament by the Albanese Labor Government is a very relevant example of protest helping to win positive social change. Union members in Tasmania staged multiple protests over the years as part of the decade long campaign to finally secure this right for working people.

The introduction of these laws could prevent that type of protest and will certainly frighten workers and women with heavy fines which will in itself have a chilling effect on democracy, said Ms Munday.

Tasmanian union women have also taken to the streets in big numbers over the last year as they threw their support behind national movements such as March for Justice and global movements such as the local rallies in support of American women who lost rights to reproductive health care when Roe v Wade was overturned.

The union women at the Conference will be urging independent MLCs not to take away their rights to protest to advance gender equality in our workplaces and our communities by passing unnecessary and anti-democratic anti-protest laws, Ms Munday said.

Conference attendees will stage a short protest near the conference venue.

Details

When: Today, Friday 5 August

Where: Outside the ABC Building, 1-7 Liverpool Street

Time: 1:15pm

For further information: Jessica Munday 0417 454 809

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