One question which might be of interest to our readers popped into our minds at this moment of rounding up our editing work and when the United Nations Women's Decade Conference ended in Nairobi. Have the situation of industrial women workers changed within these past ten years? if there has been, to which direction? From overall statistics, we may find women's participation in industrial production increasing, yet from the articles contributed to this Journal, still we can see situations which vary.

In India, women's employment in the industrial sector has been decreasing as a result of mechanisation. Men have taken over the jobs of operating machines. On the other hand, Southeast Asian countries have seen a rapid movement of young women into the cities to work on the assembly lines inside and outside of the Free Trade Zones. This trend is seen also lately in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as these countries become slowly integrated into the global market economy which is dominated by the industrialised countries. In Japan, the problem of part-time workers indicate the conflicting roles of housewives and production workers. As a result, women remain as a reserved army in the labour market, and function as the safety valve during economic crisis.

One obvious existing commonality of women workers' situations in Asia indicated in the articles is that women do not consider work as their primary concern of life when compared to marriage. Conflicts are manifested both in their homes and workplaces when they have to, willingly or unwillingly, perform the double roles in the family and in the labour market.

Interestingly in some parts of Asia, particularly in South Asia where the female labour force participation rate is lower than the other regions, industrial women workers do not belong to the lowest income group. The lower-waged and more oppressed working women are the domestic workers, brick makers, etc. who form the most marginal sector of the economy. For example, in India, women in slums serve as domestic helpers for industrial women workers who are comparatively higher paid. Yet it is only with the service provided by the former group of women that married women of the latter group can continue to work in industry. This difference in their position in social production may easily be explained as opposing class interests, yet they should actually be allies in their common strife for a classless and non-sexist society. The organisation of women workers as an independent social sector seems to be the only way to build up solidarity and comradeship among women workers of different social strata.

Concerning organisational strategies, most writers expressed that there is a need for alternative organisation of women workers parallel to the traditional trade union movement. Some writers shared their experiences in organising women cooperatives in residential areas (India), women cell groups in Free Trade Zones (Sri Lanka), and small scale women workers' groups in social service centres (Hong Kong). There are also efforts in organising women workers' groups inside trade unions (Philippines, India). One writer stressed that any organisation of women workers must emphasis the common class background. Another thinks that gender issues are of prime importance in the course of organising women workers.

Most of our contributors to this Journal are either activists/organisers in women's groups or women researchers. They are all Asians and have concern either for the organisation of women workers in individual countries or for the changing political and economic situation in Asia in which their fellow sisters are struggling to survive. During the course in preparing this issue of Isis Women's Journal, we felt that there is a dilemma for the activists who could hardly spare time to share their experience in writing. More interaction should be encouraged between women organisers/workers and women researchers so that the understanding and consciousness of the question of women workers can be deepened. Further still, more discussion should be initiated on the role of gender in the formation of the question of women workers, and how it relate or interacts with the issue of class.

We hope that this Journal will serve as a stimulus for discussion on the above questions.

No articles on women workers in Asian socialist countries is included in this Journal due to the lack of contact. On the other hand, we think that the situation of women workers in socialist countries will have such specificities that it will take another issue of the Isis Journal to cover. Despite this understanding, we think that it is necessary to share our experiences so that each may learn from the other. Therefore, we do look forward to the publication of such topic, one day, by the Isis Women's Journal.

Last of all, we would like to express our gratitude to the writers, and all who have helped in every way in the production of this Journal.

Cheung Choi Wan,

Chan Shun Hing