PAYDAY
A living wage for mothers and other carers
	Dear sisters and brothers, Honour Mothers, Honour All Carers To celebrate International Women’s Day this year, we are launching an International Petition demanding A LIVING WAGE FOR MOTHERS AND OTHER CARERS (see below). Caring is the foundation of every society, yet this work, mainly done by women, is devalued and underfunded, or not funded at all. Women continue to do 2/3 of the world’s work. Some women have advanced as professionals and politicians; some have even joined the 1% which has got richer and richer. But most women, especially mothers, are struggling to keep ourselves and our loved ones afloat. Investing in caring work would help to close the income gap between women and men. It would draw more men into caring. It would redirect economic and social policies towards survival, health and well-being – for every individual and for the planet which sustains us all. All workers are entitled to a living wage. As part of International Women’s Week in the UK, on 14 March we will Honour Mothers, Honour All Carers – the hardest workers and the most neglected! We hope your group will endorse the international petition and circulate it widely for signatures. It will be posted as an on line petition on 14 March in several languages – we welcome any offers of translation. Before then, please email us. We also want to know what is happening to mothers and other carers in your country – what struggles you are involved in, what your demands are, what repression you are facing, what you are winning. We want to work together to raise the status of the hidden workforce of carers across the world. The human race, the planet and all other forms of life, cannot survive without it. Invest in caring, invest in a living wage. Selma James and Nina Lopez Petition to ALL governments A living wage for mothers and other carers
	Caring for others is the foundation of every society, yet this work, done mostly by women, is devalued and underfunded. We demand that: 1.    Every worker be paid a living wage, including mothers and other carers. 2.    National and international budgets redirect financial support and resources to mothers and other carers.
	We demand a living wage for mothers and other carers because: ·      Every worker is entitled to a living wage. Women do 2/3 of the world’s work – in the home, on the land and in the community – but most of this work is unwaged. ·      Women are the primary carers everywhere in the world, fighting for the survival and well-being of children and sick, disabled and elderly people, in the home and outside, in peace as in war. Women grow most of the world’s food. ·      Most carers, starting with mothers, get no wages and aren’t considered workers. ·      Many carers are themselves disabled; many are children caring for younger ones or for their disabled parents; many are grandparents leaving retirement to care for their children’s children. ·      Caring is demanding work but the skills it requires are undervalued even in the job market – domestic work, homecare, childcare and even nursing are low paid. ·      Valuing caring work would help to close the income gap between women and men. It would also draw more men into caring. ·      Financial dependence when caring work is unwaged often traps women in violent relationships. ·      Many mothers do several jobs and have to fit time with their children around their job – this is exhausting and stressful for all. ·      When mothers are impoverished and overworked, children suffer: hunger, ill-health, violence and exploitation. ·      Mothers who have to return to other work soon after childbirth are less likely to breastfeed. ·      Workers who take time off to care for children or other loved ones, lose pay, promotion, social security and future pension. ·      Devaluing caring work devalues people, relationships and life itself. ·      Investing in carers redirects economic and social policies towards survival, health and well-being – for every individual and for the planet which sustains us all. NAME (PRINT & SIGN): …..……………………………………………….………….. ORGANIZATION IF ANY: …………………………………………………….……….. EMAIL / TEL NUMBER: ……………………………………………………….……….. CITY & COUNTRY (optional): …………………………………….……………….…. Ask your organization / group / union to endorse: …………………………………… Issued by: Global Women’s Strike (GWS) ● Women of Colour in GWS gws@globalwomenstrike.net  www.globalwomenstrike.net  020 7482 2496 Crossroads Women’s Centre, 25 Wolsey Mews, NW5 2DX The list of endorsers is being compiled and will be launched on 14 March and regularly updated after that. First endorsers in the UK: Single Mothers’ Self-Defence ● WinVisible (women with visible and invisible disabilities) ● Payday men’s network ● Mothers at Home Matter ● John McDonnell MP ● Greg Philo (Glasgow Media Group) ● International Prostitutes Collective ● Legal Action for Women ● Mammas Community Breastfeeding Support Project ● Queer Strike ● Women Against Rape . . . Signatories for an earlier version included Martina Navratilova.