Women in firing line of public spending cuts‏

Research by the Northern TUC highlights the severe impact of public spending cuts on women in the North East of England, where 46% of all women who work are employed in the public sector: http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-18658-f0.cfm
Clare Williams, Chair of the Northern Public Services Alliance urged women to play a prominent role in the campaign to defend services and promote for alternatives to spending cuts:

'Woman are already bearing the burden of low pay, low pensions in retirement, and struggling to balance caring responsibilities with financial security. The threat of the impending cuts to public services will not only impact disproportionately on women in the workplace, but also in their communities as we see the loss of essential public services such as Sure Start, nursery places, free school milk, and older people's home closures.

This is why the Northern Public Services Alliance bringing together trade unions, community voluntary sector organisations and community groups is determined to make sure it defends hard won equalities. Women are at the heart of our trade unions and communities and will be at the core of the Public Service Alliance campaigning against these unfair Government policies.

We need to ensure the Government understands that women will not tolerate being made to bear the burden of an economic crisis caused in the main by a corporate and banking elite made up of men. Women understand the need for decent jobs, decent wages and essential services in a region which is still recovering from the decimation of its manufacturing base resulting in one of the highest rates of child poverty in the UK, and some of the lowest wages.'

'It is essential women lead the campaign against this Government's disastrous economic plans which will not only create misery for thousands of people proving vital public services, but also put at risk the ability of the region to create new private sector jobs. Public services are also essential for our communities and women will lead the defence of public services both in our workplaces and communities.'