Former Journalist Anna Stewart was an active Victorian Union Official. Her great involvement with the union and tireless efforts to introduce fair working rights for women will forever be remembered. She gave hope to many other young women during a time when women were being treated unfairly in the workplace and weren’t favoured when combining a career and motherhood.

Anna exposed women’s needs to unions and the workforce as a working example. During Commission hearings she would breastfeed her baby son or seek adjournments to do so. Anna had her own opinions on women’s rights within the workforce.

Anna died tragically in 1983 at the age of 35. In her honour, many of her co-workers and friends developed the Anna Stewart Memorial project. The project is a two week training program for women unionists. Women from diverse occupations are placed with their own or sometimes other unions.

The women experience a full range of union work; they are involved in mass meetings, enterprise bargaining negotiations and hearings in the Industrial Relations Commission. The aim is to increase women’s involvement in the union movement through training.

This year in November, SSTU member Natalie Jaques took part in the Anna Stewart Program. The Children's Services Lecturer at Central Institute of Technology was inspired to take part in the program because of her interest in Unionism and the opportunity to be part of a likeminded group of women.

“I loved the opportunity to meet and be inspired by the women who have strong union backgrounds and are now in politics. Simone and Kerryn were also a great pleasure to meet,” she said.

Although Natalie agreed that Unions today are recognising the needs of women, she still feels that they have a long way to go if they are to fully recognise and convince all employers of the needs of women. “I do believe a greater involvement of women in unions will help to change the culture and public perception of unions. Women need to advocate for wage and working conditions which will allow them to participate equitably in the workforce in the future.”

Psychologist and member, Shannon Butler who also took part in the project strongly agreed. “I think that everyone needs to be represented and women are in the best position to argue for the things that effect their lives the most. Also women need to see other women achieving and stepping outside the ‘norm’ to see that they can do the same,” she said.

The project has enabled Shannon to feel more confident in assisting others in the workplace. “I see a lot of staff in times of stress knowing their rights and ways to assist them and the resources open to them will be helpful to assisting them.”

Natalie felt she gained valuable information and more confidence after participating in the project. “This is a wonderful and much needed opportunity for women in the VET sector to learn about Unionism. Go for it!” she said.