"Organizing to Improve Women's Life

“I get my salary, nothing else, we do not know anything called rights, no time to think of trade unions, we are used to live with problems” said a workshop participant; an employee in a new joint venture private insurance company in India. UNI Apro implemented a two days work shop for women trade union activist in finance sector unions from 12-13 June 2008 in Mumbai the financial capital in India. There were two young women participants for the first time from the new private insurance and banking firms at the workshop. There were twenty four participants from public sector banks representing four affiliates from seven cities in India at the workshop. The two young girls took the opportunity to express their grievances and shared their experiences with the colleagues of other public owned fully unionized banks. “We work for long hours every day, even at unsocial hours nothing is paid to us as overtime, transport allowance or taxi fare for us to go home safely, we are told you are here to do a job and we pay you if you do not like you are free to go.” They said that it is interesting to note as to how the sisters in public sector banks get a shelter of protection from the unions to work in a very conducive working atmosphere. “We need your assistance to secure our rights, although we cannot immediately form unions but please help us to take shelter under the care of unions, now we know what trade unions are, we are going to share all the rich experiences at the workshop with our colleagues”. The message from the girls was very clear to those from women employees from unionized banks. Interactive sessions on gender issues, and a panel discussion on the theme taking responsibility, leadership to organize to improve women’s life was conducted at the workshop. As workshop outcome Ladies came up with various plans to set up networks on their own initiatives to encourage motivate colleagues to participate in union activities and also with special reference to reach out to those women employees in the new private banks operating in close locations to spread the message of trade unions and bring them under trade union care. Anjali Bedekar, President of UNI Apro South Asia Women, Asst. General Secretary of AISBI staff federation, Jayasri Priyalal Director UNI Apro Finance Sector Activities and Rajendra Acharya Director UNI DOC Nepal implemented the workshop in Mumbai. Milind Nadkarni President UNI Indian Liaison Council and V K Gupta President of South Asia Financial Unions Council [SAFSUC] assured the support of the respective unions to women members and appealed to them to put in to use the things they learnt at the closing of the workshop.