Women’s lot under capitalism is, for most, that of low-paid wage slavery, with the double burden of the bulk of the responsibility for childrearing, housework and caring being placed firmly on our shoulders; then there’s the enormous pressures of how we should look, behave and act. The chances of achieving any real freedoms or reaching our individual and collective potential is impossible under capitalism.

The lot of working class women is made even worse at times like these when capitalism is in crisis. It’s working class women who are hit hardest when jobs are cut and services slashed.

The case for class struggle feminism is the case for a distinct feminism based on smashing the oppression of the majority of women - working class women. The liberation of working class women is the liberation of humanity. This conference is a space to discuss these ideas and organise action for freedom.

Class struggle feminists care little about glass ceilings that stop middle class women from becoming bosses and exploiting working class women and men. It's the class ceiling we’re out to smash!

AGENDA

11.30-12.15 Registration, lunch and stalls

12.15-13.15 OPENING PLENARY: Cuts against women, women against cuts
● Claire Locke, London Metropolitan University Student Union president
● Rosie Huzzard, Workers' Liberty and PCS activist and women's services worker in Sheffield
● Rose Anderson, Hull school student activist
● Theodora Polenta, Greek socialist activist

13.15-14.30 SESSIONS

a. When working-class women fought back: Ford Dagenham, Grunwick, Women Against Pit Closures
● Jean Lane, Workers' Liberty and Unison activist in Tower Hamlets, East London

b. The fight for reproductive freedoms - in defence of abortion rights and sex education
● Education for Choice (www.efc.org.uk )

c. Introduction to Marxism and feminism
● Cathy Nugent, editor of Solidarity
● Sarah Weston, Workers' Liberty Merseyside

14.30: BREAK FOR REFRESHMENTS

14.45-16.00 SESSIONS

a. Student women fight back!
● Jade Baker, NUS Women's Committee, NCAFC (www.anticuts.com ) National Committee and Workers' Liberty
● Cath Fletcher, UCU and Workers' Liberty, Durham University
● Claire Lister, Birmingham University and NCAFC National Committee

b. The lives of classfighter feminists - Eleanor Marx and Sylvia Pankhurst
● Jill Mountford, Workers' Liberty National Committee
● Alice Poppy Marshall, Women of Hull Against Cuts

c. Migrant women's struggles are everyone's struggles
● Marlene Jimenez, IWW cleaners' branch IU640 ( http://iww.org.uk/ )

d. Women in the North African and Middle Eastern revolutions
● Lucinda Lavelle, British Libyan Solidarity Campaign (blsc.org.uk)
● Houzan Mahmoud, UK representative of the Organisation of Women?s Freedom in Iraq (www.equalityiniraq.com )

16.00-17.15 SESSIONS

a. The unorganised get organised: the 1888 matchwomen's strike, New Unionism and the lessons for today
● Louise Raw, author of Striking a Light: the Bryant and May Matchwomen and Their Place in History (www.louiseraw.co.uk )
● Becky Crocker, Workers' Liberty and RMT activist on London Underground

b. Feminism and the rise of the new anti-capitalism
● Elaine Jones, Merseyside Women Against the Cuts
● Feminist Fightback speaker (www.feministfightback.org.uk )
● Occupy London activist

c. Fighting Sexism in the Workplace
● Janine Booth, Workers' Liberty and RMT National Executive member (pc)

17.15-17.45 CLOSING PLENARY
● With Gemma Short, Workers' Liberty and Rotherham National Union of Teachers

Followed by a contingent on the Reclaim the Night March
 http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=255531024497777

And a social to raise money for the Women's Fightback newspaper, with interpretive drama and feminist folk music.
More info on social here:  http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=273319419356266

***

Tickets: £10 waged, £5 low-waged/students and £2 unwaged/school students.

To Pay:
• Send a cheque payable to Alliance for Workers' Liberty to 20E Tower Workshops, Riley Road, London SE1 3DG
• Doing an internet bank transfer to "AWL", account 20047674 at Unity Trust Bank, Birmingham, 08-60-01
• Pay an organiser in cash when you see them (get in touch to be put in touch)
• Pay by debit or credit card online via Paypal at the link below
 http://www.workersliberty.org/isthisasgoodasitgets

Free creche and accommodation (please get in touch if you need either).

Cheap food and refreshments, plus stalls available throughout the day.

 women@workersliberty.org
www.workersliberty.org/women
www.workersliberty.org/isthisasgoodasitgets
07883520852

***
Alongside the conference there has been a series of "Is this as good as it gets?" meetings to discuss these issues and organise for action around the country. We plan to continue this up to and following the conference - please get in touch if you're interested in holding a meeting at your university/college, union branch or campaign.

•  http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=285513181476528
•  women@workersliberty.org
• 07883 520 852