http://www.wftucentral.org/8th-march-2016-recognize-motherhood-universalize-maternity-benefit-to-all-women-workers/

8th March 2016: “Recognize Motherhood! Universalize maternity benefit to all women workers”

07 Mar 2016

WOMEN'S DAY, WORKING WOMEN

On the occasion of the International Day of Working Women, the World Federation of Trade Unions honors the heroic struggles of the working women’s movement historically, salutes the working women and the militant women trade unionists worldwide and expresses its solidarity to their everyday struggles for the improvement of their living and working conditions.

The Secretariat of the WFTU, based on the recommendation of the International Conference of Working Women held in Cyprus on 1-2 November 2015, wants to take the opportunity to once more highlight an issue that seriously concerns the contemporary working women and the young couples, a social issue that reveals in all its extent the rottenness of the policies implemented in the capitalist world: The violation of the rights of maternity protection for the women of the working class. A right that must be defended by both the female and male workers in their struggle against the exploitation of human by human though the class-oriented trade union organizations.

The WFTU defends the right to maternity protection and demands the “Recognition of Motherhood, to universalize maternity benefit to all working women”.

Specifically we demand:

• Adequate pre and post-natal paid maternity leave. Banning of the dismissals of pregnant women. Parental leave with full healthcare and insurance. Banning of night-shifts and hazardous work for the women before and after giving birth.

• Decisive confronting of the unemployment rates through a development path that make use of the natural wealth-producing resources, the land and the industries to satisfy the needs of the peoples and not the profiting of the monopolies.

• Free, public and qualitative Healthcare System that will take care of all the people of all the ages in any of their needs; vaccinations, regular HIV tests, proper medication for all the occasions.

• Free, public and qualitative Education System from the kindergarten to the university. An educational process that would make sure that people receive general knowledge and specialized education, to grow up and become an integrated personality utilizing fully its capabilities for the benefit of the society.

• Full-time, Stable job with dignified salaries. 7hours a day, 5 days a week, 35 hours a week.

• Real and sufficient house subsidy or loans without interest for the young couples.

• A network of real free, public and qualitative services that will assist the family, the child, the elderly, the people with special needs, in order for the life of the woman to be improved. Free, public and qualitative kindergartens, old-homes, vacation facilities, restaurants at the working places.

The right to maternity protection for the women of the working class is not only a matter of struggle of the working women but the entire working class. Men and women workers must jointly struggle against inequality, gender discrimination and maternity protection.