Se INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY Thirty for forty: a women’s issue International Women’s Day was born in the struggle for the shorter work week. Ever since the industrial revolution forced women into the mills and fac- tories, they in turn have shut off the ma- chines and marched into the streets demanding shorter hours, better condi- tions and pay. It wasn’t until the early 1950s that such efforts helped win the eight-hour day. But that was the last significant reduction in working hours in Canada. The new technology, restraint programs and mounting unemployment rates have again put the shorter work day on labor’s agenda. Introduced on employers’ terms, new technology will bring a reduction in the workforce, de-skilling of jobs, harsher worker discipline, speed-up, monitoring and new health and safety hazards. Introduced during high unemployment . and government-imposed restrictions on collective bargaining, it serves to under- mine the strength of organized labor. Government is following a conscious policy on behalf of business in softening up working people for this new industrial revolution. Unemployment, reduced liv- ing standards, wage controls and cuts in social services have been deliberately implemented to produce a climate of fear, which translates into — “any job is better than no job, regardless of wages, benefits or conditions.” Given women’s “‘last hired, first fired”’ relationship to the labor force, it is they who suffer most from such a policy. Reduced working hours, with no loss in pay, would give workers a part of their share of the increased productivity the new technology brings. As an answer to unemployment, they may also hold the key to economic survival. Our economy cannot hope to absorb the growing costs of unemployment. The Facts, a publication of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, estimates that unemployment cost Canada $83.7- billion since 1981 (excluding welfare payments), through lost production, unemployment insurance benefits and lost tax revenue. Aside from purely economic consider- ations, a shorter work day can greatly improve the quality of living, and women may well be the main beneficiaries. Re- ducing the on-the-job portion of wom- en’s ‘‘double shift’? would leave more time for parenting, leisure with their spouses, recreation, culture and education. Health and safety considerations are also included in reducing working time. An estimated 700,000 women in Canada work on video display terminals and a U.S. study has determined that 50 per cent of the workforce will be using VDTs by 1990. According to the U.S. National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety, no occupational category — not even air traffic controllers — experience as much stress on the job as VDT clerks. Workers require more time away from work to recover from the psychological and physical strains of work. More time can include extended vacations, longer breaks away from work stations, early retirement at full pension for workers in stressful and dangerous labor (workers deserve to retire with their health), 30- and-out or even 25-and-out (25 years for the same employer benefits recognition.) Seniority should also bring older workers progressive reductions in working time, lower quota requirements and more suit- able work with no income loss. The health of new generations should also be protected through extended maternity leave, and restructuring the jobs of preg- nant workers. Despite its critical benefits, the shorter work week remains at the resolution stage of labor conventions. In 1978, Canadian -Labor Congress president, Dennis McDermott said reduced work- ing time could only be achieved through international trade union action. An international struggle is now taking place and it has brought considerable achievements. In Australia, some seC- tions of the labor force have won a4 hour week; 39 hours has been legislated in France, a five per cent reduction has been won in Belgium and similar reduc- tions have been gained in Holland, West Germany and Britain. Canadian labor has a responsibility to become part of this international effort. ¢ The alternative to fighting for reduced working time may well be accepting an increase in working hours. Employers are attempting to increase productivily by attacking absenteeism, holidays and even vacation leave. In 1982, the United Auto workers were forced to give up the paid personal holi- days they negotiated during the 1970s as a step towards the four day week. Steil- berg employees in-Quebec recently had their weekly hours raised from 37 to 38. Winning reduced working hours has historically been a fight. Today will be no different. But the possibilities are there, through the-co-ordinated efforts of or- ganized labor. In this regard working women can play a decisive role. ‘‘Hard times’’ arguments have not dissuaded us from the fight for child care, affirmative action or equal pay. With the most to losé from unemployment, we conversely have the most to gain from a shorter work week. — Women and By JACK PHILLIPS PRAGUE — What is the position of women in a socialist society? Is there true equality between men and women, in the family, in employment and in public life? _ After spending more than two years in Czechoslovakia, I can say that I have seen with my own eyes that socialism is the road to full equality between men and women. First, there is the legal foundation, based on socialist principles. The Czechoslovak constitution lays down the following guidelines: “All citizens shall have equal rights and duties.”’ “‘Men and women shall have equal status in the fami- ly, at work and in public activity.” “The equal status of women in the family, at work and in public life shall be secured by special adjustment of working conditions and special care during pregnancy and maternity, as well as by the development of facilities and services which will enable women to fully participate in the life of society.’’ These principles are fleshed out in greater detail in laws and binding regulations. According to the au- thorities here, the laws and regulations~ pertaining to women and the family play a decisive role in guarantee- ing equality in practice. Czechoslovak family law lays down that husband and wife have the same rights and duties in matrimony. They are expected to live together, to be loyal to one another and to create good family relations. Both are responsible for the requirements of the family, according to their abilities and possibilities. Both partners must decide together on all substantial matters concerning the family. The term ‘‘head of the family”’ is not used in this country. The concept of equal status is also the basis of laws and regulations concerning the rights and duties of pa- rents. Both are responsible for the all-round develop- ment of their children. They are obligated to care for their children properly, to provide good nourishment and to guide their behavior so as to bring up healthy and morally motivated citizens of a socialist society. If the partners cannot agree on an important matter pertaining to their duties, they can seek family counselling or apply to a court for a ruling. The spouses are obligated to sustain one another, even when they may be living apart, because of their work or other circumstances. If one of them does not meet this obligation voluntarily, the other party may apply to the court for a ruling. The partners in marriage have both their personal and joint property. What a spouse had before marriage re- “mains his or her personal property. Also, everything he or she acquires as a gift or through inheritance, and the things serving professional or personal use, remain per- sonal property without restriction. On the other hand, everything else that the spouses acquire during marriage 6 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, MARCH 7, 1984 Py; s marriage under socialism Two-thirds of divorces in Czechoslovakia are i becomes joint property. This includes wages, pensions, insurance benefits, royalties, awards for inventions and discoveries and the sale of agricultural products. Win- nings from lotteries or betting, as well as income from property which belongs to one spouse, becomes joint property. Neither partner can buy a car, undertake to have a home built or commit themselves to any major financial expenditure from joint funds without the consent of the other. Although all state bodies, social organizations and citizens are obligated to contribute to the strengthening of marriages and families, it is a fact of life that marriages do break down in some cases. Czechoslovak courts can grant a divorce only if the marriage cannot be saved. In granting a divorce, the court always considers the rights and interests of under- age children and must lay out the rights and duties of both parents in respect to the children. Also, the decree must state specifically the grounds on which the divorce was granted. According to official statistics, there are about 30 di- vorces for every hundred new marriages. Approxi- mately two-thirds of the divorce petitions are filed by women. This reflects the fact that if a marriage fails, the woman need not fear the economic consequences of divorce. nitiated by women, an indication of their economic independence. The most frequent cause for divorce is the difference in natures and interests, stemming from different educa- tional backgrounds, age disparities and other ‘cit cumstances. This is followed by infidelity and lack of interest in the family. State authorities try to reduce the divorce rate by setting up pre-marital and marital guidance centers. There are 80 such centers in the country where advice is given by psychologists, sexologists and other specialists. Their efforts are successful in one-third of the cases that come before them. In another third, a partial improve- ment is achieved. Divorce terminates the shared ownership of the couple and, if they cannot reach a private settlement, their property is divided by the court. The principle in such cases is that the portions should be equal, but the court takes into consideration the needs of under-age ' children, how the partners cared for the family and how much each contributed to the acquisition of joint property. The fact that two thirds of the divorce proceedings are initiated by women is a reflection of the secure position they have ina socialist society. That security is based on equality in education which is free of charge at every level and equality in employment opportunities, supplemented by a very extensive system of social benefits.