Each year on International Women’s Day,  millions of women worldwide go on strike. Those who are able, refuse to do all the work- both paid and unpaid- which keeps the world going. In the UK, the 8th March strike is organised by the Women’s Strike Assembly. Here is their call for strike this Sunday.

“This is an invitation for feminists of all genders to join the strike in Britain. The Women’s Strike is an international strike for solidarity between women and against the borders that attempt to divide us.

On 8 March we will speak out, we will be disruptive and we will strike and refuse to work. Across the world millions of young people have been leading the fight for ecological justice. In the last year it has become frighteningly clear that we must urgently dismantle the economic and political system that sees women and nature as resources to plunder, exploit and harm.

When we strike we defy those who continue to not believe us when we are raped. Sexual violence, from assault to everyday workplace harassment is at the centre of our exploitation.The number of women killed by former and current partners has increased to an average of three deaths per week. We demand collective solutions to our individual experiences of violence whether they occur in the home, on the streets or at work. With cuts to domestic violence and rape services, rising racism and nationalism, and record numbers of women suffering violence we need to build a feminist movement from below that strikes at the heart of our oppression and exploitation.

When we strike we challenge the male dominated trade unions that ignore the reality of our lives. Austerity is nothing short of a class war and the big trade unions have been asleep on the job. For ten years it has been women that have suffered the most as the rich have gotten richer and the rest of us struggle to put food on the table, keep the heating on and the rent paid. The cost of childcare in Britain is so high that many of us are trapped in low-paid and unrewarding work just to balance the nightmare that is getting the kids to and from school.

On 8 March we will be on strike from the work we do – regardless of whether we get paid or not. The Women’s Strike occurs on International Women’s Day – and we join with million of women and non-binary people across the world in fighting for a feminist future.

Join us.”

What’s planned for Women’s Strike 2020 in the UK:

Bristol:

• 5 March, 7-9pm at Tyndall House Community Room, corner of New Street and Great George Street, St Judes, BS2 9ED: Last meeting towards organizing IWS 8th of March 2020

A meeting to bring together people of all genders and feminist collectives interested in organising for the 8th of March 2020 in Bristol.

• 7 March 5-9pm at BASE Community Cafe, 14 Robertson Road, Bristol, BS5 6JY: Banner Making Session towards #iwd2020

BRISTOL WSA present banner making session towards International Women’s Day Strike! Anyone welcome! Children friendly!

• 8 March, 12noon- 6pm at The Cenotaph Bristol City Centre: Bristol International Women’s Strike 2020

Feminists of all genders come and strike on International Women’s Day in Bristol.

Cambridge:

• 8 March, 12noon-6pm: Cambridge joins the Women’s Strike!

We will be meeting at Cambridge train station on the morning of Sunday 8th to get the train to London together to join the action at Cavendish Square, and then join the Sex/Work Strike march in the evening.

Cardiff:

• 7 March 12noon-4pm at Nye Bevan Statue, Queen Street: Women Take Action on Climate Change

Carnival on climate change.

• 8 March 11am-2pm at BBC Cymru Wales: Cardiff Performs: “A Rapist in your path” Anthem

We will learn together and perform Feminist Anthem “A Rapist In Your Path”, in solidarity with our sisters and siblings worldwide who face patriarchal oppression.

• 8 March 1-4pm at Fairwater FC, Poplar Road, CF5 3PS: Fairwater (Cardiff): On Strike Because We Care IWD Sunday Lunch

Bring you children, family and friends to get together and celebrate the lives and achievements of women in Fairwater and around the world. All genders welcome.

Edinburgh:

• 6 March 7-10pm at  The Wee Red Bar: Smashing Patriarchy Gig

Gig full of patriarchy-smashing musicians to celebrate #IWD2020. Come dance, have fun, make a grrrlpit!

• 7 March 4-8pm at the Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh, 17 West Montgomery Pl, EH7 5HA: Feminist Banner Making Party & Music Jam

Come make banners to use on the march, materials provided. There will also be an acoustic music jam, and a zine making station.

• 8 March 12noon-2pm at Bristo Square: International Women’s Day March in Edinburgh

This is an invitation to join women and non-binary people of any ethnicity or sexual orientation, who have been marginalised or disadvantaged by the patriarchy.

Leeds:

• 8 March 12noon-6pm at Briggate: International Women’s Day Action: UnVioladorEnTuCamino!

On the 8th of March women and feminized people across the world will take to the streets to call for and end to the multilayered violence we continue to endure. We are angry and we are rising. We will be performing “Un Violador en tu Camino” / “ A Rapist in your path. Meet at noon at Bridge Street (going over plans and practicing the performance), and 2pm for the performance.

Leicester:

• 5 March 12noon-1pm at Nelson Mandela Park: Feminists to the pickets’ rehearsal of ‘A rapist in your path’

As part of the Leicester Feminist to the pickets strikes at the University of Leicester and at De Montfort University on the 9th March, Leicester Women’s Strike Assembly is organising a rehearsal of ‘A Rapist in your path’, which we aim to perform at the pickets on the 9th March.

Liverpool:

• 4 March 6-9pm at Blackburne House Group, Blackburne Place, L8 7PE: Womenstrike Steward Training
• 8 March 12.30pm at St Luke’s Bombed Church, Leece Street, L1 2TR Liverpool: Womenstrike Merseyside 2020

All genders are welcome. But we ask that, in the first instance, cis-men support the womxn in their lives to ensure they can participate.

• 8 March 4pm at Blackburne House Group, Blackburne Place, L8 7PE: Liverpool International Women’s Day After Party

Liverpool Sisterhood is collaborating with Blackburne House to bring you this year’s International Women’s (IWD) Post-march Celebrations.

London:

• 6 March 7pm-5am: at The Jago, 440 Kingsland Road, E8 4AA: Women’s Strike 2020 party!

Join us ahead of this year’s strike on 8 March for a night of feminist dance floor action and wicked vibes.

• 8 March 11am-2pm at Ingestre Road Community Centre, Ingestre Road NW5 1UX: Kentish Town: On Strike Because We Care

Join us for a day of collective joy, when we will get to rest and socialise, while experienced male childminders care for our kids. We will share toys, craft activities and fun games and enjoy a meal provided by Cooperation Town, a local community-led food co-op. All genders welcome.

• 8 March 11am-2pm at Priory Court Community Centre, 11 Priory Court, e17 5nb: Walthamstow: On Strike Because We Care

This year we will be taking action in central London. Since the strike day falls on a Sunday we will highlight the work of production and consumption that women across the world take on. Shopping is usually a task taken on by women, whether it’s for food, clothes or washing up liquid. The underpaid work of producing cheap clothes and selling them is overwhelmingly also done by women. This cycle is destroying our lives and our planet.

Alongside feminist groups across the world, we’re calling for a consumption strike on 8 March. We don’t just want to tell people to stop shopping — instead, we’re building an alternative. All afternoon we will hold the space for action, dialogue and music.

We will be hosting a MASS CLOTHES SWAP. Bring clothes you want to swap for free — all clothes must be in good condition.
Wear red. Bring noise. Bring art. Bring your friends.

• 8 March 2-7pm at Cavendish Square: 8-M “Mujeres latinas unidas”

Queridas hermanas Latinas: Asamblea Chilena en Londres quiere invitarlas a participar dentro de nuestro bloque de Latinas en Londres en la marcha organizada por Women Strike assembly este 8 de marzo.

• 8 March 5-7pm at Soho Square: Sex/Work Strike 2020

On International Women’s Day we strike against the sexist, racist and criminal laws that jeopardise the lives of sex workers. On March 8th we will refuse to do sex/work for money and we will not carry out the domestic, sex and care work that we are expected to do for free: the jobs that keep our communities, families and the system we live in ticking over.

We are striking to demand decriminalisation so we can work collectively, keep each other safe and organise for better working conditions.

Plymouth:

• 8 March 11am-2pm, Plymouth City Centre: 8M Women’s Walk in Plymouth

This is a public event to commemorate International Women’s Day 2020 in solidarity with the International Women’s Strike.

Additionally, this year Women’s Strike was extended until Monday 9th March in solidarity with the #UCUStrikes. The Monday actions are planned in London at UCL, SOAS, Goldsmiths and Birkbeck; and in York, Liverpool, Oxford, Sheffield, Manchester, Leicester, and Campbridge.

MEN: you are kindly requested to help with the Women’s Strike by providing free labour in the fields traditionally dealt with by women. To volunteer, please get in touch with info(at)womenstrike.org.uk

See you on the streets!

Have we missed something? Drop us an email to editor(at)freedompress.org.uk and we will fix it straight away!