[page 16]
The executive's pledges of a vigorous campaign cannot be taken seriously when we have just witnessed their complete acceptance of the Houghton Report, which has widened even further the differentials against women teachers.
Despite sexist heckling, it was interesting to hear from Pat Brown (East London) that since they had set up Their own women's groups in the Association, many women came to their meetings who had never been to a union meeting before. She urged all local Associations to set up their own Charter groups and not to argue aganst them.
### EXECUTIVE
Although the Charter resolution was defeated, as Bernard Regan (East London) correctly said For anything to come from the vague motion adopted. the Executive would have to be watched very carefully.
The many teachers who voted for the Charter are not intimidated by the executive and will continue to build and support the campaign.
There will be a conference in the Autumn around the question of women's oppression in education. If any Socialist Woman readers are intcrested in it, or helping to organise it, please contact: Cath Young, 58 Wishford Point, London E9.
CAROLE REGAN
[page 17]
••• NEWS ••• NEWS••• NEWS. Conference on Abortion At a time when the British press is filled with chauvinist arguments as to why Britain should remain in the Common Market, the Conference in Paris on 19, 20 April was a refreshing attempt to build an internationalist perspective into the fight for abortion and contraceptive facilities.
### ATTACKS
In recent months the capitalist class in Europe has undertaken a whole series of attacks to restrict even further women's right to abortion. In Germany, the new abortion law has been thrown out by the Supreme Court, while in Italy abortion clinics have come under attack.
Photo: Peter Harrap (Report)
In response to this type of attack, pro-abortion groups from most European countries, in addition to delegates from Latin America and the United States, met to exchange information and plan further co-ordination The meeting was organised by the French group MLAC - Mouvement pour la Liberte de l'Avortement et de la Contraception (Movement for free abortion and contraception).
The first day was a public meeting with plays, films and songs as well as reports from each country represented. The second was a conference in which four workshops discussed the experiences and problems in carrying through abortion campaigns - which ranged from how to do illegal work in Spain, through open of women.
LONDON WORN HONES campaigns in Italy, to the situation in Colombia in Latin Americawhere abortion, contraception and sterilisation are freely available but are carried out without the consent This meeting decided to set up in Paris an International Secretariat to plan European activity and act as an information exchange centre. As a first stage in the European campaign two international actions were called. The first is an international solidarity demonstration to be held in Italy in October. The second will be a week of action in Portugal in July or August with meetings, films and plays on the question of abortion. Delegations from all over the world will be invited to attend.
Photo: Angela Phillips (IFL)