To celebrate International Women’s Day – Women in UNISON

UNISON, the largest organisation of women in UK, will celebrate International Women’s Day today with a first of its kind event which will include workshops and an evening of music and entertainment.

The event, which is the first the union has held in Scotland, will bring together hundreds of women from all over the UK to celebrate women and the vital contributions they make to society.

The workshops will take place in Glasgow and will be followed by an evening of music and entertainment in The Old Fruitmarket. Speakers at the event will include: UNISON Scottish secretary Tracey Dalling; UNISON Scotland convener Lilian Macer; STUC general secretary Roz Foyer and Jenny Gilruth MSP.

International Women’s Day also marks the first year in post of UNISON Scotland’s first female Scottish Secretary, Tracey Dalling.

Tracey Dalling, UNISON Scottish secretary, said: “International Women’s Day 2023 is our opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the vital contributions that women in our union make. Care workers, librarians, health workers, cleaners, school workers, and administrators are more likely to be women and are the core of what keeps our public services going. Their work is often undervalued and underpaid, but UNISON knows their true value.

“Women have always been central to trade unions and the fight for a better society. This year UNISON has secured some of the biggest pay rises for a mostly women’s workforce since devolution, we have finally settled the equal pay dispute in Glasgow, and women continue to join UNISON in their thousands. I want to make sure that women’s voices are heard at every level and we can all play our part in making it happen.”

Lilian Macer, UNISON Scotland’s convener, said: “UNISON is proud to be the UK’s largest women’s organisation, campaigning on behalf of all working women.

“This first-of-its-kind event brings together women from across the UK to celebrate women in all our diversity and everything we have achieved together.

“Our collective strength has created positive change and progress on childcare, equal pay, maternity rights and menopause. We campaign to protect women from domestic abuse and sexual harassment, to promote equality in the workplace and in our communities, and for improvements to women‘s rights around the world.”