To mark International Women's Day, some 20,000 people took to the streets of Palma yesterday evening. The demands were various: an end to pay inequality; an end to the glass ceiling; an end to sexual harassment and violence. Among those joining the protest was President Armengol. She said that although there have been legal advances, true equality still does not exist.
Earlier, 2,500 people had filled Palma's Plaça Cort. The rally issued a feminist manifesto based on the slogan "if we all stop, the world stops". Eva Cerdeiriña, head of social policies and equality at the CCOO union, said that yesterday's action was to demand improvements in the labour market, greater participation and political policies to promote equality.
Female employees in the public sector took part in a strike, which was supported by the regional government. Another spokesperson for the rally, Concha Calafat, defended the strike. It was necessary in order to highlight problems with inequality, discrimination and violence. These problems, she stated have not decreased but increased. A demonstration in itself was "no longer enough".
The manifesto denounced gender violence and cuts to public services. It called for a fight against the male-female wage gap and for diversity in education "free of patriarchal oppression".
Specific groups also read out their manifestos. Shirley Siles, president of the Kellys Union Balear (chambermaids), demanded that occupational incapacities and complaints are properly recognised. She added that the work of the chambermaid is followed by going home, preparing dinner, doing the washing; in fact, doing everything. Carmen Buades, speaking on behalf of female journalists, stressed the social responsibility of journalism as a profession and criticised the fact that women are "victims of discrimination" in the sector. Management positions, she noted, are mostly occupied by men.
In a tweet, President Armengol stated that she was proud of the women in her government, "proud of their efforts and abilities". She highlighted gender policies being pursued by the government and expressed further pride in a "great team that has the clear goal of working from a feminist perspective".
7 comments
To be able to write a comment, you have to be registered and logged in
It should be the same pay for the same job and anybody who thinks that women can't do just about every job that a man can do is wrong,in the Uk and the U.S.A.,woman did almost every kind of job in two world wars and without them,things would have been very different,yes,certain biological facts have to be worked round,but they were worked round in two world wars and can be now. My Gran drove an ambulance in the Manchester blitz.
I have always championed equality, not just for women but for everyone. However, I am afraid the militant feminists who thought turning a day of celebration into a day of striking have changed my mind. I will not longer support a movement that thinks walking off a job will help their cause. The sad thing about society is that we like to generalize. To the militant feminists, all men are bad. That is certainly not the case and so to all those good men whose businesses were disrupted by the strike action on Thursday, they have done a great disservice. Having politicians support a strike is even more absurd. They are paid by the taxpayer yet encourage women to not work which ultimately hurts the very people who pay their wages. What about the university students? If you want equality in the workplace (and you should have it), walking off a job is not the way to do it. I also wonder on Thursday what the striking women did. Did they go shopping or to a bar or restaurant and were served by women who don't have the luxury of striking? This world has gone mad and sadly the politicians here in Mallorca are leading us down a road that will only bring us more problems. As for the mindless graffiti this militant group of women created.....they should be reminded that in addition to the rights they want, others have rights too and that extends to not having private and public property defaced.
Who says that women always earn less or nothing? Why would it be worse for a man to be unemployed than for a woman?
I must be a feminist as I gave my wife written permission to join the strike rally.
Let " Womens' Power Rule !" Girl Power is on the ascendancy. Great!, let them find out what it is like working to meet their nagging requirements, in a world of bitching and back stabbing. Being " Fired ", and on the Dole would be a major life changing experience for the females. Men could stay at Home, push the buttons of their labour saving machines ( Designed by Men ! ),. Spend hours on the phone, go to the Pub, shop on the way back, and cook with the Micro-Wave Ovens. Refuse sex, to tired !, headache , not agree to having children etc. etc. etc.
Pratical difference here is that if the lady of the house reduces here workload in the HOME there is no financial reduction. If the man reduces his ouput at work he either gets less money or fired!
Women cook, clean and do the washing up only because they allow do it because their mothers, grandmothers, aunts and female friends maybe accept this. What is that teaching to the next generation of me?.We are the drivers of this change? And we are the mothers that influence the next generation whom will actually believe that total equality is normal. So women DO have all the power, but my 50 year olds friends are guilty of doing this and of doing far too much in their homes. However I have noticed my nieces generation do not do this work and expect their partner to cook, clean etc, however she is labelled as “lazy” by other females especially the older ones !!!Interesting thought.