Delegates demand more family-friendly laws

Louise Nousratpour
Thursday March 12, 2009
The Morning Star

WOMEN trade unionists called on Thursday for the strengthening of family-friendly laws as the most effective way of ending gender inequality in the workplace.

Delegates at the TUC women's conference in Scarborough highlighted the "shameful" discrimination meted out to single mothers and pregnant women on maternity leave and urged the government to act to protect women in the workplace.

"Even before the recession, reports showed that 30,000 women a year were losing their job because they were pregnant or on maternity leave," ATL delegate Julia Neal said, adding: "With the right support, these women would not have lost their jobs."

She warned that the recession would make the situation worse as employers look for excuses to sack people.

Through the unpopular Welfare Reform Bill, the government wants to force single mothers and other vulnerable people in society back to work by threatening to cut their benefits.

Delegates argued that ministers should instead strengthen family-friendly rights to ensure that those who are already in work do not lose their jobs due to lack of access to flexible working.

Community delegate Siobhon Ahmed attacked Business Secretary Peter Mandelson's plans to tear into the Single Equality Bill, due before Parliament this spring.

As well as attempts to halt proposals to extend maternity leave, Mr Mandelson has announced that plans to extend flexible working rights to parents of all children under 16 have been put on hold due to the economic crisis.

"He seems to be more worried about protecting those who caused the crisis," she stormed.

"Now is the time to help working people and unions do more to put family-friendly policies at the heart of the bargaining agenda."