Gail Cartmail blog

All power to women

I grew up with the magazine Women’s Realm. It sat by my mum when she was knitting and sewing. I'm not sure when she found time to read it as my memory of her is that her hands were always busy. 

The magazine has now marked a hundred years of publication. In the 1950s Women’s Realm had a print run of two million. Far fewer are printed today yet it remained a favourite of my mother until her death a few years ago. 

Quote of the month

Every month I put up a quote by a famous woman who inspires me. This month, it's from Mary Macarthur, a 19th century trade unionist and women's rights campaigner in the UK. She said:

"It should be illegal to employ a woman on the same work as a man for less pay. The standard of life must not be lowered by unfair competition. This in the highest interests of both the men and the women."

Mary Macarthur's election manifesto, 1918

Gail Cartmail is the only GS candidate who can unite Unite

I thought readers would be interested in an article that appeared this morning in the Independent about my candidacy for General Secretary of Unite. 

In particular I made the point to the journalist that I am the only candidate qualifed to lead Unite and pull us together as I am not reliant on any grouping or faction within the union:

International women's day

International women’s day was first celebrated on 19 March 1911. Over a million men and women marked the day with a series of rallies in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland.  They demanded the right  to vote and hold public office, the right to work and an end to job discrimination.