The purpose of my presentation today is to introduce the theme of this conference – 'A Union Built By and For Women'. In doing so, I will refer to the achievements of women working in, and for, unions, in particular, education unions – locally, nationally and internationally. I will also reflect upon the roles of Women's Officers of the Australian Education Union in changing the culture in the Australian union movement.

As a starting point I will describe the battle to improve the representation of women in the Australian Education Union. Women worked long and hard to achieve improved representation of women in the prime decision making body of the then Australian Teachers Union. They were women of vision. Women who had experienced first-hand the discriminatory outcomes of decision-making from which they were excluded.

The scene at the time was:

• Annual interstate conferences during the January vacation period in different Australian cities – very attractive for that subsidised family holiday;
• Women, although in most cases comprising at least 60 per cent of the membership of affiliates (branches) were not fairly represented.

There were many obstacles along the way, not the least of which was a male-dominated culture which resulted in decision-making reflecting that culture. It wasn't until some radical (?) women decided that given the proportion of women in the teaching profession it would not be unreasonable to have at least 50 per cent of the decision making positions reserved, in a legal sense, for women.

Their tactics were deemed tough and unladylike and many bore the scars of the battle personally and professionally; others retreated. The battles during this time were personal, political, cultural and systemic and they took their toll on many.

In May 1990 the rule change which now ensures women's representation within the Australian Education Union was granted by the Australian Industrial Registry.

The legacy of their collective, organised and determined efforts is not only the statistically verifiable improvement in the numbers of women occupying senior positions in unions and greater involvement of women at all levels of union activity, but the improved lot of women and girls in the education industry and the change in the way in which unions now do 'women's business'.

This women's conference and many other women's forums within the AEU and the broader trade union movement occur because of the foresight of our radical sisters.

I understand that a primary objective of this conference is to develop a feminist action plan which builds upon the Unions@Work document. Today I would ask that you contemplate the significant gains made as a result of planned action of the kind I have just described. Although it is never possible to measure fully the positive outcomes quantitatively - qualitatively we, and so many others, are the beneficiaries of the ripple effect of an action plan conceived and fought for by our sisters.

We have all been preoccupied with the events of September 11 and of the inevitability that we face serious challenges as a result of waves of terrorist activity. We are privileged and thankful to reside in a country where for the most part we can expect that our human rights will be protected. This is not the case for millions of people across the globe. It is my view that the global circumstances for women can only be improved if people are able to live in societies in which human rights principles prevail.

You may think little can be done from a forum such as this – that is not the case. We must choose to continue to fight for human rights and concentrate on women's rights in a human rights context. The AEU, through the formal structures of Women's Committees and crucial affiliations with international trade union and human rights bodies has proudly contributed to positive changes in the human rights of women nationally and internationally.

Several years ago when we had far-sighted governments, not bound by the outdated and rigid attitudes of our leader of today, there was support for the promotion of human rights through trade unions. Some of you will have attended training courses at Clyde Cameron College in Wodonga where you were trained in the ways of democratic participation. (Sadly it no longer exists).

During this era of far-sightedness, Government funding was made available to assist with the delivery of special training courses for women from developing countries. As Federal Women's Officer I worked with the team at the Trade Union Training Authority to deliver a three-week residential training courses for between 25 – 30 women. I have many stories of action about the impact of such courses but today I want to describe the opening activity that set the scene for the program.

• Participants were asked to identify all of the issues that were of concern to them – a long list was prepared;
• A large board (a very large board) was used to display all of the issues;
• Participants were then requested to prioritise the issues, as we would be dealing with what they considered to be the most important.

Their final list usually included:

• Violence against women;
• Discrimination against women (including discrimination in employment);
• Literacy;
• Poverty.

Participants were then asked to identify what they considered to be the most important issue.

• In every instance literacy was deemed to be the most important.

One story for today:
A participant from a very poor nation had over inflated her claims for expenses – publications 'especially prepared for the program' (all in a language not understood by others) and many other she stated that she had incurred in transit . Not being aware of the exchange rate I submitted the claim to our accountant who paid up but alerted me to the actual amounts. In a very short time the money had been converted to US dollars and some deposited in a Wodonga Bank. As trainers and sisters, we broached the subject as sensitively as we could – 'we had to be accountable for the expenditure', 'we could not pay excessive amounts' and so on. The reaction was extreme. Screaming and tears were accompanied by behaviour that raised concerns that the person may be suicidal.

It emerged that corruption had been the mechanism by which our participant had been able to attend the program. She was subsequently obliged to 'repay' her union in US dollars a substantial amount of money and was fearful of the consequences if she did not.

This was but one example of the degree to which women who wish to survive must work within cultural systems over which they have no control. Upon departure she put her arms around me and tearfully said 'I wish I lived in your country'.

For me this was an extremely humbling experience.

I have used it to illustrate the cultural difficulties that I and many others encountered when working in cross-cultural areas.

I believe that in being tolerant of other cultures that we must take great care to ensure that our culture, our democratic and egalitarian culture must be asserted and protected. For me the line is clear. It involves human rights principles and a so-called cultural right ceases to be so if it breaches a human right. Throughout the world women's human rights are breached under the guise of cultural right with such so-called rights being borne of poverty, ignorance, illiteracy and religious fanaticism. For example:

• Female genital mutilation;
• Honour killings;
• The discarding of female foetuses;
• Slavery;
• Sexual abuse;
• Child labour.

The list is long.

Over the years, the collective contributions made during Women's Conferences and by Women's Committees have been the creative and radical recommendations that have given rise to initiatives that are now considered mainstream. For many means that their contributions will never be formally recognised nor will recognition come in the form of 'names in lights'. The true measure of achievement will be the knowledge that through grass -roots commitment and strong action via a conference such as this they have made a difference.

As trade unionists we know to be wary of the myths pedalled by the political spin industry. In Australia there are areas where our democratic rights are paper-thin and in other spheres our human rights record is abysmal. Our Indigenous brothers and sisters know full well the fallacies of the spin doctors' assertions – the deft and disgusting attempts to sell diluted and callous interpretations of the realities revealed in the Deaths in Custody report, the sidestepping of responsibility and of recommendations lying dormant for decades. They know too the manner in which the oppressive experiences of human beings continue to be disregarded – this is but one of the many warnings that we should heed as we commit ourselves to vigilance.

Australia is a unique country – free and democratic – peopled by citizens of many cultures, faiths and beliefs. The ballot box, a visible symbol of democracy must never be taken for granted. Nor must we remain complacent about that which we have and enjoy. Often we do not agree. Yet within this wonderful diversity there is that common and hard-won core which enables us to lead secure and free lives in which our human rights are protected. We cannot afford to bask in misplaced pride about our democratic way of life. We must assert all that is good about our culture. There is no place for fanaticism and there is indeed a collective responsibility to participate in our society in an ever-vigilant manner to ensure that the rights that we do enjoy and cherish are never taken for granted. This conference represents one mechanism by which we continually reassess our progress.

Before concluding, let me now add three other human rights dimensions.

I have recently encountered the term 'generous feminist', which was welcomed by all present at a recent women's industrial relations forum. A young human resources practitioner talked about the need for communication with all of the workers in her organisation and how in achieving her goal to bridge significant gaps she had become a 'generous feminist'. Her generosity has enabled her to see beyond the posturing, beyond the bravado and beyond the 'girlie' posters. Determination to communicate in a respectful and meaningful way has enabled her to deal with people who just happen to be male who have also have feelings and fears that often mirror those of women. I suggest that as feminists we will be able to achieve much more if we too become 'generous feminists'.

The second has to do with the contagious disease known as racism. Pauline Hanson's racist rhetoric has unleashed a monster. She has single-handedly opened the mouths of many who in the past kept their views to themselves. We must counter all discriminatory utterances and activities – be they covert or otherwise. We must never accept that discrimination is a logical and acceptable outcome of difference.

The third has to do with complacency. Some years ago I wove the theme of a Margaret Atwood novel into a cautionary presentation regarding the ease with which women's rights could be stripped overnight. Although futuristic fiction, the events of recent weeks demonstrate just how easily our world can change. Atwood's story began when women were universally excluded from accessing money, they were then relegated swiftly and certainly to chattel status – voiceless, powerless, mere incubators in a society devoid of emotion, trust and respect. For the women of Afghanistan, Pakistan and many central African nations this story does not represent fiction; they know full well what such subjugation brings – pain misery and loss of hope. The activities of the fanatics of the past weeks give us a grim warning about the fate of women in a world devoid of human rights.

Finally I go back to the Women's Committee. It's so tempting to deal only with structural and political imperatives that drive trade unions. For too many it becomes an end in itself as people make their life's work 'winning' in the cut and thrust of union politics. The downside is that the trade union movement does not have time to fritter away such energy. Worse still it cannot afford to have its fundamental principles sabotaged and displaced with the corrosive culture of factional conflict. AEU Women's Conferences and the Women's Committee have a strong history of cooperation and success – you are strategically placed to influence culture, to build bridges and to be 'generous' feminists.

Joyce Marshall