POLITICAL change must be secured to help women win equal rights, TUC general secretary Paul Nowak told trade unionists today.

Mr Nowak began his speech at the TUC Women’s Conference by sending a message of international solidarity with women in Iran and Turkey fighting to organise their workplaces, in Poland and the United States fighting for their right to choose and in Ukraine and Gaza fighting for their right to live.

“Your struggle is our struggle, when you win we all win,” he told delegates as he praised the work of women-led picket lines over the past year.

“Our priority this year must be to secure political change by getting rid of the most right-wing, extreme anti-union government in our history.

“Removing the rights of strike for groups of key workers will make it even harder for women to win equal pay and flexible working rights.”

Addressing recent reports of sexual harassment within trade unions, Mr Nowak said it had “no place in our movement – no ifs, no buts and no excuses.”