Motion no: 14
Conference notes with concern the increasing problem of inequality in society as analysed by the French economist, Thomas Piketty. There is now widespread agreement that liberalisation, particularly of finance, led to massive rises in inequality and had a disproportionate impact on women. This then generated structural deficiencies of demand which were papered over by a temporary credit boom which proved to be unsustainable. The absence of aggregate demand is the single most important causal factor behind the economic malaise in Europe. The problem of rapidly rising inequality calls for a two part response. First, income should be redistributed through the tax system - through taxes on very high incomes and wealth to those who would actually spend it. Second, collective bargaining by trade unions should be supported in every possible way. Trade unions are the only actors in the market system capable of effecting a redistribution of wealth in the interests of social justice. Conference calls upon the incoming Executive Council to make the fight against inequality a primary objective and to redouble its organising, research and collective bargaining efforts to that end.
Amendment
After the sentence . The absence of aggregate demand is the single most important causal factor behind the economic malaise in Europe,, Insert: Liberalisation and austerity have led to a steep rise in the numbers of women in low paid, low hours, insecure work. Women are paying a heavy price for this involuntary casualisation. The value of women's pay has fallen dramatically. Work is not a route out of poverty for low paid women and their families. The recovery is entrenching the concentration of women in low paying, casualised parts of the economy. This is a pressing issue for unions and there is much work to do. Add a final sentence at end: Conference also urges the Executive Council to develop campaigns that reach out beyond workers already unionised as this is vital to help attract, retain and protect women workers at the sharp end of austerity and economic liberalisation. (Amendment Carried)
