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| STUC Women's Committee 2025-26 |
#STUCwomen26 Kate Ramsden was ATUC’s sole delegate once again to STUC Women’s Conference 2026, held on 21-22 October in the Caird Hall, Dundee with the theme of Connection, Collaboration & Community.
Kate has been a member of STUC Women’s Committee in one of two Trades Union Council seats for the past three years. She was re-elected unopposed for a further term. This is her report.
Ably chaired by Women's Committee Chair, Tara Lillis, the 99th Women's Conference again debated motions directly relevant to women's lives and their livelihoods, recognising that women are disadvantaged because of our sex. Delegates debated 29 motions in total relating to Work, Trade Union Organisation, and Employment Right and Discrimination; Women’s Health, Wellbeing, and Public Services: Equality; Harassment and Violence against Women, concluding with an International Section recognising the disproportionate impact of war and conflict on women and girls. Conference also heard from a number of speakers, including ATUC consultative member, Mercedes Villalba, who gave the trade welcome on behalf of Dundee Trades Council, Roz Foyer, STUC General Secretary and Jenny Douglas, STUC President.
A Panel discussion considered Community Building and Building Solidarity, especially against the far right; and two workshops looked at Stories from the Past & Hopes for the Future, in preparation for the centenary of STUC Women's Conference next year; and Women's Occupational Health & Safety, which followed a presentation from Close the Gap.
Kate was proud to second the first motion of the day. Delegates overwhelmingly supported a celebration next year of the centenary of STUC Women’s Conference, in recognition that women still face lifelong, material disadvantage. She highlighted that almost every motion on the agenda relates to the challenges we face because of our biology. There has been progress but we recognise there is still a long way to go.
“The opportunity to debate and discuss these challenges with other women who face similar experiences is absolutely crucial to our ability to act collectively within a society and trade union movement which remains overwhelmingly patriarchal and focused mainly on the interests of men.”
The STUC Women’s Committee will hold a special event to celebrate 100 years of trade union women’s organisation and promote the key role of women in Scotland’s trade union movement.
Kate also spoke to second a great motion from GMB calling for an extension of VAT exemption to menopause related products essential to enable women to live dignified lives. She pointed out how outrageous it is that these products should be subject to VAT as if menstruation and menopause was a ‘lifestyle choice’.
She told the sisters that it’s well seen that men don’t have periods or go through the menopause or childbirth. As it is, our male dominated society fails totally to see the importance of making these products as accessible as possible to women.
“After all, not only is it ONLY women who experience menstruation and the menopause, we are also concentrated in the lowest paid jobs with a sex pay gap that continues to widen.”
The STUC Women’s Committee will now campaign for VAT exemption to be extended to all menstruation and menopause related products and for this to be future proofed for new developments.
