Care Revolution network meeting in Einschlingen. Report and photos

The Care Revolution network holds network meetings twice a year. We usually meet once online and once in person. This time, we were due to hold another in-person meeting, from 16 to 18 October at the Einschlingen conference centre near Bielefeld. Alongside the monthly coordination group, these meetings serve to foster cohesion within our decentralised network. The work carried out in regional groups, working groups and partner organisations can be shared here and woven together into practical ideas. It’s simply lovely every time when there’s time for heart-warming and poignant personal stories, cooking tips and some wholesome fun outside the discussion sessions. The downside of in-person meetings, unfortunately, is that some people are unable to attend due to care responsibilities, work commitments and other appointments, or even for health reasons.

On Friday, we began with a round of introductions and welcome remarks, as – as is the case at every networking event – there were interested guests present and not all members knew one another yet. We quickly turned to a discussion of the shift to the right, which poses an existential threat. It directly affects people whose living conditions – including in terms of care and self-care – are particularly precarious: Misogyny, anti-queer sentiment, racism and the right-wing devaluation of unemployed or physically disabled people threaten to be translated into government and official policy – even more so than is already the case. However, this officially sanctioned misanthropy also endangers progressive politics and those active in politics.

The network meeting then focused on the topics discussed on Saturday. Essentially, we picked up where we left off the previous day, as we discussed how we, as the Care Revolution network, can take joint action in two areas where we have already been active this year and which involve mounting pressure and opportunities for resistance.

During the morning, we discussed our activities relating to a feminist or ‘care’ strike, which combines solidarity with industrial action in the care sectors and raises awareness of unpaid work. This began with an update on the plans to date – both our own and those of other groups and alliances, with some of whom we have already been exchanging ideas and discussing joint approaches – and continued in working groups focusing on local actions, our slogans and themes for a strike, as well as further collaboration with ver.di and other stakeholders. In addition to supporting the collective bargaining round in the public sector (local authorities) this spring, we would like to use the major care sector strike day in Switzerland on 14 June as an opportunity to organise a day of action in the areas where we are active.

Thus, in the discussion on feminist strikes, we addressed the care and gender dimensions of the social welfare system, whilst in the discussion on social protests, we examined the impact on a wide variety of life situations. The conclusion is obvious: even given our limited capacity, we must link these two areas of protest as closely as possible.

Finally, Sunday was devoted to our internal structures. You will no doubt be able to read the network’s updated principles on this page shortly. It was great that the more technical topics were dealt with so quickly and without any disagreement that we had time to make concrete plans on other matters as well. So next year, there’ll be another event focusing on care economics.

Here’s to 2027, a year in which we’ll achieve great things together!