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June 21, 2013

Unison backs No More Page Three campaign following women’s conference vote

By William Turvill

One of the UK’s biggest trade union has thrown its weight behind the No More Page Three campaign.

Unison, which represents 1.3m public sector workers, claims its backing is proof that working class people disapprove of topless models featuring in The Sun.

It was voted for unanimously by 500 people who attended the union’s Women’s Conference in February.

General secretary Dave Prentis said: "We're proud to support this campaign to end an out of date objectification of women on behalf of the men and women who make up our union. Rupert Murdoch's claim that working class people don't care about page three is not only patronising it is wrong.

"Through unions, working class people have led the way in battling sexism and campaigning for equality. We're going to show Rupert Murdoch exactly what we think."

Yesterday, a “flashmob” invaded the union’s annual conference in Liverpool. Around 30 dancers, wearing No More Page Three t-shirts, entered the conference chanting.

With accompanying video and music, the group then began singing “No More Page Three” to the tune of the Village People’s “YMCA” hit.

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Leader of the 'flashmob' Lisa Clarke said: "We're incredibly excited that UNISON are backing the No More Page 3 campaign and want to thank them for their amazing support. It is so important that people stand up and say 'no' to the sexism that is rife in today's media. We believe that the objectification of women and the reduction of 50 per cent of the population to nothing but a pair of breasts has a detrimental affect on everyone.

"One of the places people are often exposed to these images is in the workplace, even though equality legislation outlaws similar content on posters or calendars at work. When this is in a national newspaper, it is far more difficult to object to or speak out about it and be taken seriously. People are now finally speaking out and it's going to be very hard to ignore 1.3 million public sector workers isn't it?"

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