Unions recognise role of women
By Melanie Sjoberg
ADELAIDE — Celebrations for the centenary of women's suffrage continued in South Australia with activities from September 16 to 23 directed towards women in the workplace. 160 women attended courses and workshops conducted as part of Women's Week, sponsored by the United Trades and Labour Council and the Amalgamated Metal, Food and Engineering Union.
The objective of the week was to recognise the contribution of women in society and encourage more women to become activists in their workplaces and unions. Many of the sessions emphasised the importance of learning from the earlier struggles of women and developing anew the skills for campaigning.
Women who participated in the range of sessions expressed a strong desire to take action. The importance of retelling some of the history of earlier campaigns to inspire and generate the confidence to persevere was evident.
The closing ceremony featured a performance by Junction Theatre company recreating the life of Augusta Zadow, the first woman factory inspector.