An Equity motion calling for government action to prevent sexual harassment on public transport was passed unanimously at the TUC Women’s Conference, 4-6 March 2025. The motion highlighted the heightened risks for women working in the performing arts sector who often rely on late-night travel as part of their working lives.
Seconded by the TSSA, the motion received the full backing of the TUC to campaign for transport, ticket offices and travel centres to be well staffed, stay open and remain accessible for those who work and travel at anti-social hours.
Speaking to the motion, Equity activist Mary Oloan said: “Women and people of marginalised genders in performing arts, healthcare, hospitality, retail, emergency services, and transport services rely on late night travel for their livelihoods. Yet for too long, their safety has been treated as an afterthought. The cost-of-living crisis further restricts their options, making taxis and ride sharing unaffordable. No one should have to choose between their safety and their job. No one should be vulnerable simply because they are travelling home after work.”
Reinstating arts education
The Equity delegation was made up of Jean Rogers, Peggy-Ann Fraser and Mary Oloan of Equity’s Women’s Committee. On the last day of the conference Equity’s second motion - which called on the government to reverse the decline in arts education, strengthen critical thinking and to reinstate the arts back into the national schools’ curriculum – also passed unanimously.
Speaking to the motion, which was seconded by Artists’ Union England, Equity activist Jean Rogers said: “The arts reinforce what is to be human. Teachers know how pupils writing stories and poetry, playing an instrument or dabbling in paint is a great way of handling their emotions, providing safe, creative outlets to make them more comfortable in the world around them, and in their own skin.
“More than ever we have to educate our children and young people to assess what’s real, what’s fake, what’s deliberate manipulation, what’s accidental, because like it or not generative AI is here to stay, and this critical thinking must be taught within an all-round curriculum - not just science, technology, engineering and maths as is the present emphasis.”
Solidarity
Equity seconded a composited motion from Prospect on AI and the impact on Women. Peggy-Ann Fraser spoke to the motion which called on the TUC and constituent unions to ensure women are fully supported to engage with and benefit from emerging technologies.
Equity also spoke in support of other union’s motions, including the BDA union’s motion on domestic abuse workplace policies. The motion, which Jean Rogers spoke in support of and which passed, called on the TUC to mount a new campaign to raise awareness of domestic abuse as a workplace issue and to call for a statutory duty on employers to adopt workplace domestic abuse policies.
Jean Rogers was re-elected by Conference affiliates back onto the TUC Women’s Committee to represent Equity women.
