Better Work Better Lives
for women workers Irish Congress of Trade Unions Women’s Conference
1 & 2 March 2018 Killyhevlin Hotel Enniskillen
Irish Congress of Trade Unions Women’s Conference 2018
Better Work Better Lives
for women workers Irish Congress of Trade Unions Women’s Conference
1 & 2 March 2018 Killyhevlin Hotel Enniskillen
Better Work Better Lives for women workers
Thursday 1 March 10.00 Registration and Tea/Coffee Session 2 Women in Unions Session 1 Opening Session 12.00 Motions on Women in Unions
11.00 Welcome and Introduction – EC Report Appropriate Sections/Paragraphs Jacquie White and Margaret Coughlan, Joint Women’s Report of Women’s Committees Committee Chairs Appropriate Sections/Paragraphs
Chair of Conference Voting on Motions and Agree Arrangements Committee Sections of Reports
Civic welcome 13.00 Lunch and Fringe Events: Councillor Stephen McCann, Chairperson of Fermanagh and 1. The gender dimension of Omagh District Council. Precarious and Insecure Work.
Jill Weir, Sororal Greetings, 2. Abortion as a Workplace issue, Fermanagh Trades Council Presentation of research findings.
11.15 General Secretary’s address: 3. Sling the Mesh, the campaign Patricia King, ICTU General for justice for women affected by Secretary. vaginal mesh implants 4. The Women’s Pledge 2018.
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Friday 2nd March Session 3 Session 4 Women and Work Women and Society
14.30 Motions on Women and Work 09.30 Motions on Women and Society Guest Speaker, Caitriona Crowe The Centenary of the Rep- Guest Speaker: Owen Reidy, resentation of the People Act. Assistant General Secretary, ICTU. EC Report Appropriate Sections/Paragraphs EC Report Appropriate Sections/Paragraphs Report of Women’s Committees 10.45 Coffee Break Appropriate Sections/Paragraphs Video message from ETUC Voting on Motions and Agree Confederal Secretary Sections of Reports Montserrat Mir Roca
15.45 Coffee Break Report of Women’s Committees 16.00 Session 3 resumes Appropriate Sections/ Paragraphs Closing Address Voting on Motions and Agree ICTU President Sheila Nunan Sections of Reports 17.30 End of Day 1 13.00 Close of Conference 19.30 Dinner followed by Disco Better Work Better Lives for women workers
Introduction Welcome to the 2018 Irish Congress of Trade Unions Women’s Conference - Better Work Better Lives for Women Workers
We are here to celebrate many of the advancements made for women workers and to consider how best to address the remaining challenges. In the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland, we are working to ensure that As we listen to guest speakers and debate economic development is based on decency, motions on these and other issues over the equality and solidarity and leads to real coming days, let us be inspired by each improvements in the lives of working families other and rededicate ourselves to our joint right across our island. The challenges facing mission of building workers’ power, reminding such a mission are all too familiar and include: ourselves that women must be central to this fight. • unequal access to jobs; • the persistent problem of low pay and wage Gender equality is needed to strengthen inequality; unions and to build workers‘ power. • the increased incidence of precariousness and job insecurity; We hope that you enjoy the conference and • weakened bargaining power and voice at take part fully in all the discussions so that work; you can return to your union and workplace • inadequate arrangements to reconcile work revitalised in the struggle. and family life; • the erosion of social supports and protection Patricia King - including pensions; General Secretary • the imposition of austerity and attacks on vital public services.
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Motions to the ICTU Joint Women’s Conference 2018 WOMEN AND WORK Further labour market inequalities such as an overall gender pay gap of just over 9%, significant gender pay gaps between and 1. Better Work, Better Lives within sectors and continuing occupational for Women Workers segregation compound the position for women Women’s Committee NI workers.
The Women’s Committee commends the NIC- The Women’s Committee pledge’s full support ICTU for their recently launched campaign for the campaign and is committed to working Better Work Better Lives. closely with the Northern Ireland Committee ICTU to realise the campaign objectives. The Women’s Committee endorses the three themes of the campaign, namely, The Women’s Committee recommends the Better Work Better Lives campaign to this The elimination of low pay and the promotion of conference and asks all affiliates to ensure decent work;Investment in public services and that their women activists are fully involved. infrastructure and; 2. Combating Precarious Work The elimination of the 1% pay cap for public sector workers. and Discrimination in the Workplace The Women’s Committee notes that 1/3 of UNISON workers in Northern Ireland are in insecure work while 25% of workers are on or below the Conference notes the publication of ‘Insecure Real Living Wage (as calculated by the Living and Uncertain: Precarious Work in the Republic Wage Foundation). The Women’s Committee of Ireland & Northern Ireland’ (Winter 2017) further notes that women workers are by Congress. This report highlights the growth disproportionately affected by low pay, cuts to in insecure and precarious employment in public services and precarious work with some both jurisdictions over the last decade. In 58% of women in the NI labour market in a the Republic of Ireland, the majority of part- form of employment which is less secure and of time temporary employees are female, and poorer quality than the traditional ‘standard.’ women are at greater risk of being in both Better Work Better Lives for women workers
full and part-time temporary employment. 3. Insecure and Precarious In Northern Ireland, approximately 27,700 women are in temporary employment Work compared to approximately 18,000 men, SIPTU with the vast majority of those in part-time temporary employment being women (68%). Conference commends Congress on the publication of the report Insecure & Uncertain’; Conference congratulates Congress for Precarious Work in the Republic of Ireland and producing this analysis and for putting the Northern Ireland in December 2017. Conference focus on the unwelcome growth in precarious notes that this study reveals a disturbing growth work across the island of Ireland. Conference in precarious work practices across the island now calls on Congress and affiliates to produce of Ireland since 2008 further welcomes the a deeper, more detailed, sectoral analysis of continued focus on the issue of precarious work the situation for women in particular, given that Congress maintains. In support of this, that it is clear that they are disproportionately Conference now calls on the Congress Executive and severely impacted by precarious, insecure to redouble its efforts over the coming year to work. This analysis must not only focus on limit the use of precarious contracts in so far as is the nature of their employment relationship, possible, to mitigate the effect of such contracts but also should reprioritise those issues which on workers and to continue its efforts to ensure have been consistently highlighted as barriers that the legislative base underpinning these to justice for women in the workplace. These objectives are as effective as possible. include sexual harassment in the workplace, rampant discrimination regarding to pregnancy 4. Statutory Leave and maternity, the lack of adequate, affordable ASTI childcare and most recently the impact of the menopause on employment. That this conference calls on the ICTU to seek statutory leave for women who have This research must lead to clear calls of experienced miscarriage or stillbirth. actions with employers and Government at the bargaining table. The plan of action on strategic bargaining across all relevant sectors 5. Gender Inequality in the should be informed by the work of women in Finance Sector the Trade Union movement and the Congress Financial Services Union Women’s Committee North and South, with progress reported to the Executive Council on a This conference recognises the fact that regular basis and disseminated to affiliates. banking and financial services has one of the highest gender pay disparities in the Irish
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economy and notes the Morgan McKinley participate on an equal footing with their male Gender Earnings Gap Ireland 2016 report colleagues. which revealed that, what they classified as the Financial Services and Regulators sector, had 6. Women’s Gynaecological the highest gender pay gap in Ireland, standing at 29%. Health and Reproductive Rights in the Workplace. Conference also notes that women make up the GMB majority of staff in the banking and financial services sector and that this group of workers This conference calls on ICTU to actively look have endured job losses, extended working hours into the complex range of issues surrounding and pay restrictions in the past decade due to specific health issues affecting women workers the actions of those at the top of the banks and and the impact these have on the daily lives the failure in regulation. of women at work with a view to developing a guide for best practice in the workplace. Conference supports the call by the Financial Services Union for radical change to ensure Women’s gynaecological health issues that equality and fairness are embedded in range from menstruation and menstrual the pay and career structures of banks and irregularities through to the menopause to financial services companies, and supports name but a few. such measures as: Whilst policies cover maternity and illness Increased representation for women at Board during pregnancy, we do not always have level. adequate policies that cover the full gambit of pregnancy related issues particularly when the The introduction of grade comparisons within pregnancy is terminated. companies to bring enhanced transparency and accountability in relation to gender pay. To deal with these issues purely under the normal auspices of any sickness absence The establishment of an independent oversight policy can lead to women being adversely body with the authority to report on gender impacted when for example trigger points are pay issues and issue recommendations to reached. employers – both individually and by sector. We call on ICTU to carry out research with Improved work/life balance policies for all staff. an aim to look into how these issues are best managed in the workplace and how best to A review of all training and career advancement protect women at work. The research should programmes to ensure that women can fully Better Work Better Lives for women workers
seek to provide education, advice for women survey conducted by the Welsh TUC women in work and the development of best practice reported that employers were often not policies. tackling problems in ways that helped workers. Managers rarely received training 7. Equality Cases in matters relating to the menopause, leaving many unaware of the issues IFUT involved. More worryingly, there were some matters which were being ignored As a consequence of the changing role of or dismissed completely. This left women our statutory mechanisms within the newly being disciplined on competency grounds formed Workplace Relations Commission for an issue that merely required simple and their place in the continuum of equality adjustments to working conditions. processes, this conference commits Congress to strengthen the argument for a need Unions have a key role in challenging for earlier, interest-based involvement in discrimination in the workplace and in equality cases, thus requiring university bargaining for better policies to support management to actively avoid entering into women members. In the workplace, women legal approaches to resolve industrial relations report being afraid to raise the matter with disputes. their manager because they fear being labelled weak or inadequate and so jeopardising job 8. The Menopause and the security or chances of promotion. Workplace NIPSA Conference instructs Congress to establish a campaign to: The menopause for far too long has been seen as a private matter and is certainly not Highlight the role of Trade Unions in a topic which is often discussed openly or challenging attitudes to the menopause; which has been taken into account in the design of workplaces and working practices. Provide guidance for trade union reps on how It brings with it physical changes to the body to deal with the menopause; and for many women can cause physical and Ensure that employers have in place workplace psychological symptoms. policies that support women through the Employers, even in workplaces dominated by menopause and for suitable training to be women workers, have been slow to recognise provided to managers and other staff; and that those going through the menopause Ensure better healthcare provision and might need additional consideration. In a information is provided. 10 11 Irish Congress of Trade Unions Women’s Conference 2018
9. Breastfeeding and the risk of becoming obese in childhood, a lower risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Workplace more recent studies have shown that they may Royal College of Midwives even have increased intelligence! There are robust breast feeding strategies in both the Congress notes that: North and South of Ireland and breastfeeding mothers are supported by a raft of Breastfeeding rates on the island of Ireland are employment and health and safety legislation, the lowest in Europe, despite the well-known including the 2004 Protection of Mothers Who beneficial effects for both mothers and babies. Are Breastfeeding regulations in the South. Currently just over half of new mothers in both Northern Ireland and in the South even Yet despite all of this, very few employers attempt to breastfeed their baby and by the actually have a written breastfeeding policy time women are leaving hospital after the in place that will support those women who birth of their baby, only 45% of women in the wish to continue to breast feed following North and 58% in the South are either fully, or their return to work. There are benefits for partially breastfeeding their baby. mothers, babies and employers in promoting and supporting breastfeeding. For employers, And despite recommendations from many valued employees are more likely to return to organisations including the World Health work if they are enabled to express breast milk Organisation that all babies should be in a safe, comfortable environment, the fact exclusively breast fed for the first 6 months of that their babies have more protection from their life, the number of babies in Ireland that common infections and allergies means that are exclusively breast fed at this age is 8.7% mothers will need to take less time off work in the North and around 14% in the South, to care for sick children and an organisation compared with a global average of 36% and a that supports its employees becomes more European average of 25% (WHO, 2013). attractive as an employer, especially to women. The health benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and baby are well documented – Congress believes that employers must women are less likely to develop breast or do more to support women who choose ovarian cancer and their risk of developing to breastfeed their babies and calls upon Type 2 diabetes is also reduced. Breastfeeding employers will also help to burn off some of the ‘baby weight’ acquired during pregnancy and will to work with trade unions to develop robust save hundreds of pounds or euros in buying policies in relation to breastfeeding and expensive baby formula. Babies are protected returning to work; from many common infections, have a lower Better Work Better Lives for women workers
to undertake risk assessments for 11. Sexual Harassment breastfeeding women in accordance with health and safety legislation; Women and Girls NASUWT to provide a safe and comfortable place where women may express breast milk for their Conference is deeply concerned by the babies and; compelling evidence of the increasing incidence of sexual harassment in the perhaps most importantly of all, ensure workplace, including sexist ‘jokes’ and there is an understanding amongst all ‘banter’, unwanted touching and the growing their employees of the value of continued objectification of women and girls. breastfeeding, thereby engendering a positive attitude to breastfeeding among all workers. Conference is appalled at the findings of research by the NASUWT and other organisations which show that women and 10. Sexual Abuse and girls are increasingly experiencing sexist abuse Harassment and harassment, including up skirting and EQUITY down blousing, online or through social media, particularly in schools. Given the recent publicity surrounding sexual abuse in the entertainment industry across the Conference asserts that this is not only world, this motion calls on the ICTU to support having a damaging impact on the physical all moves to eliminate such exploitation in and mental health and wellbeing of women such a public industry. teachers but is also creating a climate of premature sexualisation of children, and in Specifically, this motion is calling upon the particular young girls. ICTU to encourage all funders and promoters of these industries (including the Northern Conference is deeply concerned by the failure Ireland Executive) to ensure that adequate of Government to require employers and resources are put into the recruiting/casting schools to record and report incidents of sexual process to ensure a more deliberate and fairer harassment and abuse, including through the outcome for all. use of social media or internet.
Conference calls upon the ICTU to campaign for:
• greater regulation against online abuse;
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• a mandatory requirement on employers Union membership amongst women is at an to record and report incidents of sexual all-time high and gives us an opportunity harassment and abuse in schools and; to make real progress in tackling sexual harassment at work. • changes to the sexual offences legislation to include up skirting and down blousing in the Conference urges the ICTU to make this issue provisions. a high priority in its campaigning work and to make the link with sexual harassment in its 12. Sexual Harassment Better Work Better Lives campaign. USDAW 13. Women and Automation Conference is alarmed by the persistence of UNITE sexual harassment at work and the fact that almost every woman will at some point in Conference notes the concerns expressed her lifetime experience sexual harassment. about the potentially catastrophic outcome A recent EU wide European study found that of the increasing automation of the labour over a million women or one in every two in the market. EU had experienced sexual harassment since the age of 15 and in a third of these cases the It is clear that automation could have the harassment took place in a work context. potential for jobs to be lost. The World Economic Forum identified that three jobs Conference is very concerned by the fact could be lost for every job gained for men, and that the vast majority of women don’t report five jobs could be lost for every job gained for harassment either to their employer or, where women. in a union, to their trade union. However automation could also provide Women working in all sectors of the economy opportunities. Robots require designers, and in all job roles ae exposed to harassment programmers and engineers; they also require but as harassment is about power women in to be maintained and upgraded as technology casualised and insecure work and those at the advances. lower ends of low paid grading structures are particularly vulnerable. These will be highly skilled, well paid jobs and women need to have the skills to take Recent research by USDAW echoes the advantage of the opportunities this creates. findings of larger scale studies showing that harassment by managers and customers is an We need to dispel the myth that technology- issue of strong concern. based jobs are men’s jobs. These are new Better Work Better Lives for women workers
industries requiring new skills. Governments WOMEN IN UNIONS departments must also do more to ensure women take up these opportunities through positive action. Young women must be 14. Women and Leadership in encouraged to apply for apprenticeships the Trade Union Movement in STEM based sectors to create a pool of TUI young women able to take advantage of the opportunities automation will bring. We need Women of all ages are currently them to have an equal opportunity to become underrepresented in Leadership positions in the designers, programmers and engineers of Trade Unions. the fourth industrial revolution. In order to encourage more women to take Women must also be at the forefront of the up leadership roles at all levels within unions, debate and discussions around automation. including Branch officer roles and membership Their voice needs to be represented at the of Executive Committees of Unions; highest level. this Conference calls on ICTU to organise a • Conference therefore calls on the Irish mentoring/training programme for trade union Women’s committees to lobby their members in the regions; Governments to: in order to empower, encourage and enable • Ensure they invest in the skills and training more women to take up leadership roles in that will encourage and enable women to their unions. take up new opportunities that come from automation; WOMEN IN SOCIETY • Monitor STEM based occupations to ensure positive action to encourage equal 15. Charter for Housing Rights representation of men and women on STEM Women’s Committee ROI based apprenticeships; and Conference notes that the housing and • Campaign for a women’s seat at any “Future homelessness crisis is the defining issue of Automation Commission”. of our time and has laid bare deep social divisions and systemic inequality as it has unfolded. Women and children are particularly vulnerable as women predominate in low paid and precarious work. In November 2017, there were 3,333 children 14 15 Irish Congress of Trade Unions Women’s Conference 2018
in emergency homeless accommodation with There can be no evictions to nowhere and their families. evicting a family or an individual into homelessness must be prohibited by law. Housing and homelessness are simply different manifestations of the same essential problem Develop a national Land Management Policy and are not separate, unconnected issues. This commensurate with a Right to Housing. crisis can be resolved, but that resolution will require urgent and simultaneous action on Conference urges all unions to support the multiple fronts. campaign for their full implementation so that we can finally end the scourge of A critical component of that resolution is homelessness. the need to undertake a major programme of public housing construction, as part of 16. Reproductive Rights for a wider strategy that encompasses the transition to a European cost rental model Women and the creation of a secure and sustainable Bray and District Council of Trade Unions housing system for all. That this Conference calls on the ICTU Conference believes that the crisis can only Executive Council to urgently act on Motion 39 resolved by the full implementation of the (Reproductive Rights for Women) adopted at the following principles in the Congress Charter for Biennial Delegate Conference 2017 which urged Housing Rights: the incoming Executive Council to continue to work for the repeal of the 8th Amendment of the Declare a national housing & homelessness Irish Constitution.” emergency and initiate a major building programme, constructing a minimum of 10,000 new public housing homes annually over the next five years.
Hold a referendum or introduce legislation within a set timeframe that affirms the right to housing for every citizen of the state.
Legislate to ensure that all tenants within the rental sector enjoy security of tenure and certainty in relation to rent and standards of accommodation. Better Work Better Lives for women workers
17. Representation of Women to challenge for senior leadership positions but call for even greater efforts to tackle the in public life gender leadership gap not only in our own Fórsa movement but in business, politics, education and elsewhere in society. Compared to their male counterparts Irish women work fewer paid hours, earn less money While CSO statistics show women have and are inadequately represented in business, higher educational success than their male in national politics and in local and regional counterparts this can only be translated into authorities. better progression in employment through greater personal empowerment, better Women here still face many difficulties when childcare through state provision and a renewed it comes to career advancement to decision- commitment to tackling inequality in the making positions in both the public and workplace and in society generally not least private sectors. because of the impact of homelessness on women and dependent children. Women are seriously under-represented when it comes to the boards of management In particular we call on the ICTU Executive of Ireland’s top businesses. Irish women and affiliated unions to expand their efforts to make up just 13.2% of board members of the empower more women activists and officials largest publicly listed companies in Ireland, to challenge for and secure positions of significantly below the EU average of 21.2%. leadership in our movement including direct assistance with childcare support. While progress has been made in top level appointments in the public service there remains a considerable gender gap 18. Pension Inequality in promotional progress above middle Fórsa management levels. Conference notes: The changes to the rules for Notwithstanding the appointment of women to calculating State pension entitlements in 2012, top leadership positions in ICTU, INTO, SIPTU and the adverse effect this is having or will have UNISON, INMO, IFUT and other unions there on the post-retirement income of many trade remains an unacceptable gender gap within union members. In particular, the endemic the leadership of the trade union movement. affect this will have on female members of the trade union movement. We note recent training initiatives by affiliates to build enthusiasm and confidence among Conference believes: These changes are unfair women trade union activists and officials and inequitable and they result, particularly, 16 17 Irish Congress of Trade Unions Women’s Conference 2018
on women who took time out of work due to • promised ratification of the Istanbul caring responsibilities or for other justifiable Convention; reasons being punished with a reduced pension. Furthermore, this reinforces the lack • appropriate legislation and enforcement to of economic value placed on care work. maintain safety;
Conference mandates: ICTU to work with • appropriate and funded supports for women trade unions who are active on this issue such and children who are subjected to violence; as Fórsa and SIPTU, as well as campaigning organisations including but not limited to Age • and appropriate workplace policies to Action Ireland, the National Women’s Council ensure a zero-tolerance policy towards of Ireland and the Irish Countrywomen’s violence while at the same time ensuring no Association, to press Government to reverse losses are suffered by those who are injured these changes to the calculation of State through violence in the workplace. pension entitlements. 20. Investing in Childcare 19. Ending Violence against INTO
Women Conference commends the work done by ICTU INMO resultant in the detailed report Who Cares? Report on Childcare Costs & Practices in Conference recognises that ending violence Ireland (Spring 2016). Conference notes the against women is a necessary precursor to recommendations in particular the need to achieving the full participation of women within increase in investment in the childcare sector. our society, and to ensure the achievement However, Conference also notes the continued of equality for women. Conference further inadequate tweaking of a subsidy based recognises that women are disproportionately approach to make childcare affordable and burdened by violence in many spheres of life in the continued lack of an appropriate salary this country. In this context, conference calls scale and terms and conditions for childcare on the ICTU to continue its important advocacy workers. Therefore, to remove the financial work in terms of ensuring; burden of childcare on families who wish to work outside the home and to ensure a more • Irish Government support for the adoption appropriate and professional career path for of an ILO Convention, accompanied by childcare workers, Conference calls for the a Recommendation, on “Violence and introduction of a full, free, universal and public harassment against women and men in the childcare system funded through progressive world of work”, with a strong focus on the taxation. gender dimension of violence; Better Work Better Lives for women workers
21. Investing in Childcare Women workers are more likely to miss work, MANDATE or to be overlooked for promotion, or choose not to go for promotion due to the lack of This conference notes the severe negative universal childcare. This impacts on the impacts on families, in particular women, due gender pay gap and perpetuates that pay gap. to the lack of a universal State system for the provision of childcare. This conference calls on the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to develop a campaign to lobby Women workers are more likely to miss work, both Governments to introduce a universal or to be overlooked for promotion, or choose childcare system which will allow all families not to go for promotion due to the lack of regardless of income access to childcare. universal childcare. This impacts on the gender pay gap and perpetuates that pay gap.
This conference calls on the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to develop a campaign to lobby Government to introduce a universal childcare system which will allow all families regardless of income access to childcare.
Amendment to Motion No: 21 Investing in Childcare UTU
This conference notes the severe negative impacts on families, in particular women, due to the lack of a universal State system in both jurisdictions of this island for the provision of childcare.
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Women in Leadership in the Trade Union movement: In 2015 history was made when Patricia King became the first woman to be appointed as General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
In another first, Alison Millar became the first And these women are members of the woman to be elected as General Secretary Northern Ireland Committee of ICTU: of NIPSA in December 2015. Joan Donegan • Maria Morgan, NIC ICTU Vice Chairperson, was appointed General Secretary of the Irish NIPSA Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) in • Jacquie White UTU 2017. In January 2018, Phil Ní Sheaghda • Anne Speed, UNISON became General Secretary of the INMO. • Patricia McKeown, former President of Congress, UNISON Sheila Nunan is General Secretary of the INTO • Michala Lafferty, USDAW and was elected President of ICTU in 2017. • Laura Graham, BFAWU Alison Millar was elected as one of two Vice • Taryn Trainor, UNITE Presidents in 2017. • Alison Millar, NIPSA (Vice President ICTU) • Denise Walker, GMB The following women are members of the Executive Council: • Ethel Buckley, SIPTU • Marie Levis*, Fórsa • Patricia McKeown, UNISON • Alison Millar, NIPSA • Maria Morgan, NIPSA • Phil Ní Sheaghdha, INMO • Sheila Nunan, INTO • Deirdre O’Connor, INTO • Anne Speed, UNISON • Fionnuala Ní Bhrógáin, CWU • Denise Walker, GMB • Jacquie White, UTU Sheila Nunan was elected as President of Congress and Alison Millar *resigned in September 2017 and Angela Kirk as one of two Vice Presidents at the Biennial Conference in 2017 elected Better Work Better Lives for women workers
Congress Women’s Committee Report 2016 - 2018 The Women’s Committee is one of the longest standing formal committees of Congress and continues to provide an opportunity for women in the movement to meet and discuss issues of direct concern and relevance to women in employment and in society generally.
The constitution of the Committee sets out the • Theresa Dwyer (CPSU), Chair (Until functions to be: September 2016); • Margaret Coughlan (Fórsa), Vice Chair and the co-ordination of policy or elected Chairperson September 2016; • Betty Tyrrell (Dublin Council of Trade action by affiliated organisations Unions), elected Vice Chair September 2016 catering for women workers on and December 2017; matters relating to the interests • Melissa Brennan (Fórsa), Secretary. of women; the investigation In Northern Ireland, the Officers are: of problems arising from the employment of women in • Jacquie White (UTU), Chairperson; industry, services and the • Geraldine Alexander (NIPSA), Vice Chairperson; professions; the preparation of • Eileen Gorman (FSU), Secretary. reports on aspects of women’s employment, conditions of work, Major initiatives during the period included the organisation of a National Women’s remuneration etc. Conference in 2016 and a Seminar in 2017 as well as participation in the Women’s Council of the Isles, an initiative that brings together the During the period, the following were elected TUC, STUC,WTUC and ICTU Women’s Committees Officers of the Committee in the Republic of on an annual basis. Ireland:
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The Women’s Committee has an important to Peter addressing play in identifying issues that are a priority a major anti-cuts for women across all sectors and in so doing rally in Belfast in makes a positive contribution to Congress 2011 policy.
Work programmes based on the motions that were passed at the 2016 Women’s Conference, the 2016 NIC Biennial Conference and the 2017 ICTU Biennial conference were adopted by the committees in both jurisdictions. Peter was an enthusiastic advocate of gender Peter Bunting equality and fully supported the work of the Women’s Committee. We wish Peter well in his This period saw the retirement of Peter continuing work on behalf of the trade union Bunting as Assistant General Secretary of movement and in his retirement. ICTU. Peter joined Congress in 2000 and made a huge contribution to the work of the Owen Reidy joined Congress as Assistant trade union movement locally, nationally and General Secretary with primary responsibility internationally. In Northern Ireland, Peter for Northern Ireland in November 2016. led the trade union movement during many The Women’s Committee looks forward to turbulent political periods and working closely with Owen in the coming years. also travelled frequently with delegations to Colombia and to Peter pictured with Women’s Palestine. Committee and Executive Council member Anne Speed Better Work Better Lives for women workers
Women’s Conference 2016 The conference was opened with powerful addresses from Congress President Brian The 2016 Women’s Campfield and Congress General Secretary Conference took place Patricia King. in the year which marked centenaries of Guest speakers included Dr Margaret Ward events which had huge who addressed the topic of Suffrage and resonance for women the connections with World War One, Dr workers across the Mary Muldowney who spoke about the role island. The theme of the of women in the 1916 Rising and ETUC conference ‘Celebrating a Century of Women’s Confederal Secretary Montserrat Mir Roca who Struggle and History’ reflected on events such spoke about the gender equality agenda at EU as the Easter Rising, The First World War, the level and the ETUC’s response. Battle of the Somme and the movement for women’s suffrage. Full report on the 2018 available here https://www.ictu.ie/equality/ 2016/03/03/2016-womens-conference/
Committee Chairs pictured with Patricia King and President Brian Campfield.
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Seminar March 2017 ICTU Biennial Delegate Conference July 2017 Margaret Coughlan The seminar took place in Portlaoise in March at BDC 2017 with the theme of ‘Gender Budgeting - a Equality was a major route for achieving Gender Equality? theme at the Congress Biennial Delegate Opened by Charlie Flanagan TD, the Minister Conference (BDC) held for Justice and Equality, nearly 200 delegates in Belfast in July 2017. gathered to hear from guest speakers and A number of equality participate in workshops, discussing and related motions were debating topics including the future of debated and passed women’s work. ICTU General Secretary Patricia and Margaret Coughlan King outlined the complex reasons behind addressed the conference the gender pay gap and made a range of on behalf of the Women’s suggestions as to how it can be tackled. Committee. Full report available here https://www.ictu. ie/equality/2017/09/09/joint-womens- Women’s Council of the Isles committee-seminar-inclusive-growth-a/ Members of the Committee participated in the Women’s Council of the Isles meetings in 2016 and 2017.
In 2016, Congress hosted the Council of the Isles in Belfast. Delegations of senior trade union women discussed issues for women arising out of the EU referendum and presented on work including sexual harassment in the workplace, the menopause as a workplace issue and reform of abortion legislation.
The Council of the Isles in 2017 took place in Committee Chairs and Officers pictured with Minister Flanagan and Portlaoise Mayor. Cardiff where a particular highlight was the visit to the National Assembly for Wales . Better Work Better Lives for women workers
Gender Pay Gap
There was a major focus on the issue of the These are: the preponderance of women in low gender pay gap during the period with the Irish paid work, the lack of accessible, affordable Government holding a consultation on reasons childcare, the need to reform our family leave and solutions to the gap in an effort to fulfil a system and the lack of women in leadership commitment in the programme for government. positions throughout our society and economy. Congress liaised with affiliates regarding the public consultation with a view to coordinated “To properly address these issues will submissions and created a web page1 with require concerted action on the part of the trade union submissions. The Equality individuals, employers, trade unions, government Officer did a number of media interviews on and society as a whole.” the subject, including Newstalk Breakfast, local radio and the Congress submission was “Our discussions with IBEC are precisely the sort also profiled in Industrial Relations News. We of concerted, coherent action that is required subsequently met with IBEC in December 2017 to tackle the problem and, if successful, would to explore possible areas of cooperation and represent significant progress on this issue. common approach. The Congress General Secretary said the In all of these activities, Congress has made discussions were focused on the development of the case that the Gender Pay Gap could never an appropriate methodology for Gender Pay Gap be fully closed until a range of systemic and reporting, which would generate “meaningful structural impediments to equality were properly and specific data about pay gaps” in a manner tackled and addressed. These were further that would deliver benefits to the workers reinforced at a Gender Pay Gap Symposium concerned and their employers. hosted by the Department of Business, Enterprise & Innovation and the Department of Justice Legislation that would compel larger employers & Equality, in January 2018 where Congress to publish details on the Gender Pay Gap is General Secretary Patricia King said: within their organisations is currently going through the Oireachtas, with all-party support. “There are a range of structural and systemic impediments that must be addressed directly if we want to close the gap permanently.
1 https://www.ictu.ie/equality/2017/10/10/unions-call-for-concerted-action-to-end-gender-pay/ 24 25 Irish Congress of Trade Unions Women’s Conference 2018
Low Pay and Precarious Work
In March 2016, Congress made a submission Irish Times 10 November 2017. to the Low Pay Commission focussing on the preponderance of women on the minimum The period also saw the publication of a wage.2 The submission draws attention to Congress Report3 (December 2017) showing that Nevin Economic Research Institute (NERI) Precarious Work is pervasive across the economy. research which shows that low pay is more Congress subsequently urged the government common among: to act with urgency to address the problem of precarious work. The Congress study – Insecure • Female workers; & Uncertain’; Precarious Work in the Republic • those in the retail, hospitality, food and of Ireland and Northern Ireland – reveals an security sectors; alarming growth in precarious work practices • lone parents; and across the island of Ireland, since 2008 and is • those on temporary contracts. the first study to examine the problem north and south of the border. Women are overrepresented in the latter three groups and of the 75,000 workers As the study clearly illustrates the impact on the minimum wage, 65% (48,750) are of precarious work extends well beyond the women. The call in the Congress submission workplace and its unchallenged growth raises to gradually align the minimum wage with profound questions as to the type of society the living wage culminating in a minimum we wish to live in. wage of €11.50 following the future reviews would have a disproportionately favourable Specifically, we must see changes to the effect on women’s earnings. While this would legislation proposed by government that will be an important development from a gender ensure the elimination of zero hour contracts, perspective, the submission went on to assert guarantee the right to a minimum number that it is problematic that women continue to of working hours and provide workers with be overrepresented among people on low pay a clear written statement of their terms and and the minimum wage, examine the causes conditions from day one,” Ms King said. of this and make recommendations as to how it might be addressed. The Congress study reveals that 8% of the workforce in the Republic - which equates to Congress also had a letter on the minimum 158,190 workers – saw significant variations in wage and gender equality published in the their hours of work, from week to week or
2 http://www.ictu.ie/equality/2016/03/15/submission-to-the-low-pay-commission/ 3 https://www.ictu.ie/download/pdf/precarious_work_final_dec_2017.pdf Better Work Better Lives for women workers
month to month and that some 7% of the “This Bill is by no means perfect and certainly workforce was in ‘temporary employment’ in requires amendments, but marks some 2016. progress on these very important issues for workers. It also shows a dramatic rise of 34% in the category of ‘part-time, self -employed “Congress will lobby hard to achieve without employees’, since 2008, a rise which amendments to this Bill to meet the demands is indicative of significant growth in bogus or of the workers who are affected by insecure false self-employment. and precarious work. It appears from the provisions of the Bill that the prohibition of Equally worrying is the revelation that while zero hour contracts excludes casual workers. It overall employment numbers have risen, the is our view that all workers should be covered numbers in permanent full-time employment by this prohibition. are still 109,000 lower than the figure for 2008. The report shows that over half of that number “The provision to pay a worker required to said they were in temporary employment report for work a minimum of 3 hours, whether because they could not find permanent work – they are required to work or not, is in line which represents a 179% increase on the 2008 with the UL Review, however the minimum figure. payment for such hours, in our view should be at the appropriate hourly rate rather than The Congress study found that female the National Minimum Wage/ERO rate as and young workers were more likely to be stipulated in the Bill. employed on precarious or insecure terms, with workers in the Distribution, Hotels and “The provisions relating to Banded Hours need Catering, Retail and Construction sectors to be strengthened to ensure that workers are featuring prominently, along with Public not penalised for invoking their rights under Administration, Health and Education. the legislation.
It also found that such practices have an Ms. King concluded by saying “The provisions adverse impact on business and employers of the Bill to provide and inform employees through the loss of productivity and of their core employment terms including the innovation. In addition a growth in precarious length of an employee’s normal working day work results in lower tax revenue for the state. or week are positive and more in line with the current EU Directive on these matters. Responding to the subsequent Publication of the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017, Congress stated:
26 27 Irish Congress of Trade Unions Women’s Conference 2018
Violence against Women
The Committee continues to support the 2016 helping to eliminate harassment and violence 16 Days of Action campaign to end Violence against women. Collective agreements against Women, which included the Equality have proven to be a most effective means Officer speaking at a White Ribbon Campaign to combat this scourge and it is timely to event in November 2016 and in Aras an remind ourselves of the 2002 Code of Practice Uachtaran at an event hosted by President on Sexual Harassment at Work (revised in Michael D. Higgins on the Man Up / He for She 2012) previously agreed between Congress campaign on men against violence against and employers’ body IBEC. The code points women.4 out that the best way to minimise such behaviour in the workplace is through The Committee also cooperated with the preventive measures and to create an ETUC’s Safe at Home / Safe at Work project, effective policy with a strong commitment which included the attendance of some to implementation. Congress also called members at a Madrid conference to launch for complaints of sexual harassment to this initiative, in November 2016. Congress be elevated to the status of ‘protected was asked to represent the ETUC at the disclosures’ - as opposed to ‘workplace European Institute for Gender Equality grievances’ - thereby ensuring stronger (EIGE) experts forum in 2016 and the protection and reporting mechanisms for Equality Officer attended the meetings and those submitting complaints. Congress also and presented on the ETUC ‘Safe at General Secretary Patricia King has described Home, Safe at Work’ project in Vilnius, in this proposed change as “a potential game November 2016. changer and a major step forward for those suffering such abuse.” In 2017, Congress used the occasion of the 16 days campaign to call for effective action Congress attended the launch of The National against sexual harassment and violence, Awareness Campaign as part of the Second including a revision of an existing workplace National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual Code of Practice on sexual harassment. We and Gender-based Violence 2016-2021 in made the point that as recent events have November 2016 and promoted this among clearly demonstrated we need to renew and affiliate unions. redouble our efforts if we are to effectively tackle sexual harassment and violence in Congress is also supporting the campaign the workplace and wider society and that to push governments to support a binding Trade unions and employers play a major International Labour Organisation (ILO) role in making work safe for women, and Convention to end gender based violence in
4 http://www.ictu.ie/equality/2016/03/15/congress-support-for-he-for-she-safe-ireland-campa/ Better Work Better Lives for women workers
the workplace. The Irish Government has a Offences Act and its swift enactment. The seat on the ILO Governing Body and we urge Congress Equality Officer also wrote an article them to play a proactive role in that regard. for their legacy project, outlining why Congress was involved with the initiative and we There was continued support for the Turn participated in the celebratory event held to Off the Red Light Campaign, including mark the passing of the Act, on International campaigning for the passing of the Sexual Women’s Day 2017. Reproductive Rights
The Committee successfully sought Congress a major issue for trade unions, in terms of Executive Committee support for the Trade those forced to travel abroad for treatment Union Campaign to Repeal the Eight and the dilemmas faced by female workers Amendment and Congress subsequently experiencing crisis pregnancy. made a submission to the Citizens Assembly supporting a referendum on repeal.5 As the authors note, the study demonstrates “the necessity of listening to experience of Congress also supported a Trade Union abortion in any future debates, and concurs Campaign to Repeal the 8th Amendment with outcomes of the recent Citizens’ Assembly rally in November 2016 on Rosie Hackett process in the Republic of Ireland. It also Bridge, Dublin. Themed, “Respect and protect signals the potential value of more union-wide women’s lives, health and choices”, supporters debate, internal and public, on the topic.” gathered on the Rosie Hackett Bridge to call for a referendum to repeal the 8th Amendment. This was released in the context of recommendations from the Citizen’s Assembly In December 2017 the Congress Executive and subsequent consideration of the Council considered a New Study which reveals recommendations by the Joint Committee on the Impact of Abortion in the Workplace. This the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution. ground-breaking new report highlights how At the time of writing, the Government is current laws governing access to abortion considering the report of the Oireachtas across the island of Ireland is now a major Committee and a Dáil debate before deciding issue in the workplace and therefore on wording for a referendum.
5 http://www.ictu.ie/download/pdf/congress_submission_to_citizens_assembly.pdf 28 29 Irish Congress of Trade Unions Women’s Conference 2018
In April 2017, SIPTU and Professional future generations also. Their principled Footballers Association of Ireland (PFAI) stance was strongly supported by the representatives secured a landmark agreement Women’s Committee and affiliate unions and with the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) also resonated with people around the world that their members believe will address their as their story went viral, following the April concerns and take their team to the next level. 4 press conference in Liberty Hall. It has It was an important step on the road towards led to a wave of organising among women’s genuine equality for women playing sport football teams around the world. professionally in Ireland and a reminder of the critical role our movement can play in closing In Northern Ireland, the gender pay gap across every sector of the SIPTU has been economy and society. working with the NI Senior Women’s The campaign success was due to the International collective decision of the players to join Football team to a trade union and fight for the right of address serious their union to be recognised as their concerns including representative body. The members of the lack of adequate women’s national football team deserve the compensation while respect and praise of not only the current on international generation of women in Ireland, but of duty.
National Strategy for Women and Girls
The long awaited publication of the new required to complete wage surveys and report National Strategy finally arrived in May gender pay gaps. This is an important step 2017. A number of measures included in the in tackling gender-based pay inequality and Strategy have the capacity to ensure real we look forward to seeing this measure fully improvements for women workers, if they implemented. The inclusion in the Strategy of are fully-implemented and delivered upon. an extended provision for breastfeeding breaks Responding to the publication Congress said in the workplace is a positive measure, but we that in our own submission we highlighted are disappointed at the failure to commit to the need to act on the gender pay gap and we the Living Wage, for female workers. note that the Strategy contains an important new provision on this - with a proposal that In advance of publication, the Committee companies of more than 50 employees being prepared a briefing for members to facilitate Better Work Better Lives for women workers
participation in Department of Justice and for Women and Girls Implementation Group Equality’s series of public meetings on the and has attended meetings and fed in views on formulation of the new National Women’s targets and indicators for the actions. We are also Strategy, and participated in meetings with the working with other civil society groups on the department in its preparation of the strategy. implementation group to coordinate efforts. Congress is represented on the National Strategy
CEDAW
In February 2017, the UN examined Ireland’s and girls from discrimination. Congress performance of its responsibilities under participated in a Department of Justice and the Convention on the elimination of Equality hosted civil society consultation discrimination against Women (CEDAW). It on the State’s response to the List of Issues marked the first time in over a decade Ireland under CEDAW in July 2016 and in a live has been scrutinised on its compliance broadcast of the hearing from Geneva in with UN standards on protecting women IHREC’s offices. Childcare & Family Leave
In the run up to and following from the In order to advocate for implementation of publication of the ground breaking Congress the recommendations contained in of our policy paper on childcare – Who Cares: Report Childcare report Congress has established an on Childcare Costs and Practices in Ireland - ongoing engagement with the Department Congress has continued to liaise with early years of Children & Youth Affairs. This has included organisations and engage with government submission of views to Minister Zappone’s on our low wage, high cost childcare services.6 consultation on the Single Affordable Childcare The survey was launched in March 2016 and Scheme and a meeting – in conjunction with described trade union members use of childcare SIPTU and IMPACT - with Minister Zappone services and made recommendations for regarding same. We also participated in the further investment in quality care. It attracted Department of Children and Youth Affairs much media attention including an Irish Open Policy Debate on the development of a Times Editorial and an interview with Today with National Early Years Strategy. Sean O Rourke on RTE Radio One. Much of this work is done in coordination with 6 http://www.ictu.ie/download/pdf/report_on_childcare_costs_practices_congress_2016.pdf 30 31 Irish Congress of Trade Unions Women’s Conference 2018
SIPTU’s ‘Big Start’ and IMPACT’s ‘Early Impact’ very significant development. Our Family leave campaigns, which seek to ensure a link system is also in need of revision in order to between quality and the terms and conditions promote gender equality and in order to tackle of staff working in the early year’s sector. the gender pay gap. In that context, Congress considers elements of the package on work-life Congress also attended the annual Early balance issued by the Commission within the Childhood Ireland Conference and used the pillar of social rights aimed at ensuring better opportunity to promote our 2016 report on balance between family and professional childcare with delegates present. We also commitments for women and men a very facilitated a request from Early Childhood useful contribution. Our family leave provision Ireland to organise the filming of message lags behind many of our EU partners and it from Congress General Secretary for use at is time for us to correct this. Research has the launch of an ECI report on the true cost of demonstrated how this is mutually beneficial childcare. to workers and their families, enterprises and indeed to wider society. Congress welcomes In relation to leaves, the period saw the the commitment in the current Programme introduction of Paternity Leave7 in September for Government to prioritise additional paid 2016 – a long standing demand of Congress. The parental leave in the first year of a child’s life Equality Officer did an RTE Drivetime interview re and urges the Government to immediately Paternity Leave 8 August and an interview for an introduce this legislation as an important Irish Times and Sunday Times articles. step. Attended (for the ETUC) workshop on the proposed EC Directive on Work Life Balance in Congress also did an initial response to Brussels October 2018 and subsequently met European Commission proposals in relation with the Department of Justice and Equality re to reconciling work and family life. On the 2018 engagement on range of equality issues, parental leave proposal, we believe that the including the Irish approach to proposed EC introduction of paid parental leave would be a Directive on work life balance.
7 https://www.ictu.ie/equality/worklifebalance1/paternity-leave.html Better Work Better Lives for women workers
Irish Human Rights & Equality Commission
Congress has been working to develop our The Guide for trade unions on taking an Equality relationship with the newly established Irish case was launched in November.8 Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) – a body which emerged following the merger of the Equality Authority and the Irish Human Rights Commission.
This included a submission towards their first strategic plan and a subsequent meeting between Chief Commissioner, Emily Logan and the Congress General Secretary. Following the launch of the IHREC strategic plan and we were pleased to note that it included a welcome commitment to “having a strong collaboration with workers and employer groups to drive ICTU General Secretary and President alongside equality and human rights”. IHREC’s Emily Logan and Minister David Stanton.
Further contact with IHREC to discuss how best Congress has also been working on the to make this commitment a reality resulted Implementation of the Public Sector Duty. The in agreement to form an Advisory Committee public sector duty relates to all the functions of composed up of trade union and employer a public body which may include; employment, representatives. The group has met three times budgeting, procurement, policy development now and the Congress nominees are Patricia and service delivery. IHREC have published an King, David Joyce, Seamus Dooley (NUJ) and information leaflet outlining some steps a public Deirdre O’Connor (INTO). body can take to bring a human rights and equality focus to their work. Congress organised Congress also successfully applied to IHREC’s a briefing session for unions held in IHREC in Human Rights & Equality Grant Scheme 2016 April 20179. for support on training on employment equality cases and a revision of our Taking an Equality Case guide.
8 https://www.ictu.ie/press/2017/11/07/congress-publishes-new-guide-on-employment-equalit/ 32 33 9 https://www.ictu.ie/equality/2017/04/07/public-sector-duty-to-pay-regard-to-equality-and-h/ Irish Congress of Trade Unions Women’s Conference 2018
Other Initiatives during the Continued to support the Children’s Rights Alliance annual Report Card assessment of the period: Government’s record in upholding children’s human rights; Members of the Committee also participated in the Women’s Council of the Isles meetings in Released a Committee statement in support of 10 2016 (Belfast) and 2017 (Cardiff); striking Tesco workers, during their February 2016 dispute; Margaret Coughlan, Chair of the Committee addressed Congress BDC in Belfast in July Made strong representations to the Minister 2017; for Public Expenditure & Reform urging a long overdue review of Civil Service equal The Committee was represented by Melissa opportunity policies and guidelines; Brennan at the STUC’s Annual Women’s Conference in 2016; Other Equality Initiatives: The Committee also completed the annual ETUC March 8th survey on gender Congress hosted the inaugural all island mainstreaming within trade unions; Congress LGBT Conference11 in UNISON offices in Belfast in November 2016. The conference Over the course of the period, the Rape marked the positive role that trade unions Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) approached played in the successful Marriage Equality the Committee for assistance in its work. campaign in the Republic of Ireland and As a result, the PSEU provided office pledged to work to achieve marriage equality accommodation and facilities for the RCNI at for all citizens in Northern Ireland. Keynote its headquarters in Merrion Square, while the speakers Grainne Healy (Director of the Yes RCNI transferred its operations from Galway to Equality referendum campaign) and John Dublin; O’Doherty (Love Equality Campaign) discussed lessons learned from the campaign in the In addition, over the course of the period the Republic and how these might be applied to Women’s Committee: achieve marriage equality in Northern Ireland.
Supported the SIPTU 100 years of Women A range of other speakers presented key Workers event; issues for transgender workers as well as best practice in relation to promoting LGBT equality in workplaces.
10 http://www.ictu.ie/press/diary/2016/11/10/womens-council-of-the-isles/ 11 https://www.ictu.ie/equality/2016/11/30/trade-unions-call-for-lgbt-equality-in-the-workpla/ Better Work Better Lives for women workers
Congress is regularly requested to provide Congress attended launch of new TENI inputs to trade union training courses and Guidelines for Transgender in the workplace in events including: December 2017.
• IMPACT Equality training Wexford October Participated in the IMPACT Equality 2016; Conference on 27th September; • HETAC course in SIPTU College annually; • Input on the development of our equality Cooperation with human rights groups North infrastructure at the TUI Equality Council in and South regarding joint letter12 emphasising February 2016; the importance of human rights and equality • Input to the Congress submission to in any outcome to the Brexit negotiations - the Citizens Assembly on Repeal the Eight Amendment at the INTO Equality Agenda 2030 – The Sustainable Committee. Development Goals13 Congress played an active role in the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) project Congress is a founding member of Coalition coordinating the civil society input to the 2030 – a civil society grouping to hold the Ireland’s evaluation under the Universal Irish Government to account in relation to its Periodic Review (UPR) at the United Nations, in implementation of Agenda 2030. 2016. The right to trade union representation was integrated into the submission and Agenda 2030 is the global development we also submitted same to UN on behalf of agenda agreed by the world’s governments Congress. at the UN in New York in September 2016. It includes goals on decent work and gender Congress regularly attends the annual equality: Holocaust Memorial event held in the Mansion House every January. The Equality Officer • Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and contributed a reading at the 2017 event. empower all women and girls
Congress attended launch of Gender Equality • Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and in Senior positions in the Civil Service in sustainable economic growth, full and December 2017. productive employment and decent work for all
12 https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/brexit-human-rights-and-equality-1.3314004 13 https://www.ictu.ie/globalsolidarity/agenda-2030/ 34 35 Irish Congress of Trade Unions Women’s Conference 2018
We regularly attend steering group Affairs and Trade about Irish plans for meetings of Coalition 2030 and have been implementation of Agenda 2030. Finally we in meetings with officials of the Department submitted views to Government on their draft of Communications Climate Action and the national implementation plan for Agenda 2030 Environment and the Department of Foreign in December 2017. Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland, this period has been The new Committee took the decision to hugely challenging. In early 2017, the prioritise their work under the following Northern Ireland government collapsed and at headings: the time of writing this report, efforts to form a new government have failed. Among the • Tackling all forms of violence against many knock on effects is that legislation and women policy development has effectively ground to • Progressive Reform of Abortion legislation a standstill. Important legislation to protect • Challenging austerity against forms of domestic violence and abuse • Campaigning for universal, affordable has not been introduced while gender pay gap childcare. regulations, which were to be drawn up by June 2017, have been stalled because there is In doing so, the Committee formed four no Minister in place to approve. subgroups, each chaired by Committee members. Likewise the prospect of a Childcare strategy, a Gender Equality Strategy, a Sexual Orientation Tackling all forms of violence Strategy (all previous policy commitments) a Disability Strategy and an Anti-Poverty against women. strategy seem remote. The Committee continues to engage on a Added to this has been the dawning realisation policy level in relation to tackling all forms of the many implications of the EU referendum of gender based violence. The Committee including the huge impact on women. regularly works with organisations such as the Women’s Aid Federation and has seats on Despite these challenges, the Northern Ireland the Belfast Area Domestic and Sexual Violence Women’s Committee has continued with energy Partnership which is a multi-stakeholder and a varied and positive work programme. grouping. Better Work Better Lives for women workers
The Committee has also developed work Northern Ireland in relation to highlighting the begun under the previous mandate to promote nature and extent of sexual harassment in the the importance of gender based violence workplace. as a workplace issue. The Committee was disappointed that the recent Stopping Domestic International Day for the and Sexual Violence and Abuse strategy failed to include any workplace based actions and barely Elimination of Violence against mentioned the importance of the workplace as a Women potential support for those experiencing violence. The Committee organised a seminar to mark The Committee met with successive Justice the international Day for the Elimination of Ministers as well as Civil Servants to lay out a Violence against Women and the 16 days of case for this work and were pleased when the action campaign in 2016 which was opened Equality Officer was asked by the Departments by then Justice Minister Clare Sugden. Rhian of Health and Justice to Chair a task and Bowen Davies, the first National Adviser on finish group to redraft official guidelines for Gender Based Violence to the Wales government employers on implementing a workplace was the keynote speaker. Ms Bowen Davies policy on domestic and sexual violence. spoke about the importance of partnership working with employers and trade unions and Through the Equality Officer, discussions also outlined new legislation which includes a ongoing with the Equality Commission for positive duty on public sector bodies in Wales
Former Department Of Justice Minister Claire Sugden pictured with J White, C Moore and Rhian Bowen Davies. 36 37 Irish Congress of Trade Unions Women’s Conference 2018
to have in place workplace policies and also the Clare Wood’s parents believed that if she rolling out of a national training framework. knew about his extensive history of domestic violence she would have been able to leave Highlighting the impact of domestic violence the relationship earlier and take steps to keep and abuse received considerable attention herself safe. at the NIC ICTU Biennial Conference in Derry in April 2016 with a number of delegates Congress responded to the consultation and speaking movingly about their experience of the Equality Officer outlined our position on a domestic violence. number of media outlets.
The conference coincided with the Despite the overwhelming support for the announcement of a consultation on the introduction of this and other legislation, so called ‘Clare’s Law’. The new legislation because of the political impasse, the disclosure proposed to bring Northern Ireland in line scheme, as well as legislation to outlaw with the rest of the UK and introduce a law coercive control has yet to be introduced. that allows people to ask police if their current partner has a history of domestic violence. It is named ‘Clare’s Law’ in England & Wales, after Clare Wood who was murdered by her ex- Women’s Committee Vice Chair Geraldine Alexander (NIPSA) pictured with Pamela Dooley (UNISON) and boyfriend in 2009. Laura Graham (BFAWU) during event to highlight work of unions on tackling domestic violence and abuse.
Women’s Committee member Gail Keown (GMB) speaking to a motion on ‘Clare’s Law’ at the NIC ICTU BDC in April 2016. Better Work Better Lives for women workers
Progressive Reform of Abortion across both jurisdictions and found that this legislation issue raises fundamental workplace issues. The report concluded: The Committee continues to be at the forefront of efforts to ensure that the archaic and What emerged clearly in survey results and outdated abortion laws in Northern Ireland online discussion forum was that this is a are reformed. Members of the Committee crucial issue for contemporary society in volunteer for Alliance for Choice (AfC) and AfC Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. has given presentations on the #TrustWomen campaign to the Committee and at the Council As the trade union movement is the largest civil of the Isles hosted in Belfast in 2016. society organisation in Ireland, North and South, comprising over 700,000 individuals, 52% of In 2017, several affiliated unions including whom are women, unions have a responsibility UNITE, GMB, UNISON, Mandate Trade Union to help inform wider societal views on abortion, and CWU Ireland commissioned the Ulster abortion access and legal reform. University to do an Independent research project on Abortion as a Workplace Issue. Other developments in Northern Ireland in Conducted by Dr Fiona Bloomer, the research relation to this area included: surveyed some 3,180 trade union members Ongoing judicial process in relation to the case won by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and then appealed by the DOJ and Attorney General. Awaiting final judgment. See www.nihrc.org
In October 2017, the UK government announced that they would provide free abortion services in England for women from Northern Ireland. The government announced a change of policy in June in an attempt to head off a Tory rebellion in a vote on the Queen’s speech. Dozens of Conservatives had suggested to whips that they would vote on an amendment spearheaded by the Labour MP Stella Creasy to give Northern Women’s Committee and NIC ICTU member Taryn Irish women free access to termination. Trainor (UNITE) was instigator of the Abortion as a Workplace issue research project. 38 39 Irish Congress of Trade Unions Women’s Conference 2018
It is intended that by the end of the year As part of the campaign, NIC ICTU will be Northern Irish women will have the right to leading in an engagement with all MLAs and access free abortion services and a central MPs. Activist groups have been established telephone booking system will be set up for in all 18 constituencies and local groups will women to arrange an appointment with a be meeting with MLAs and MPs to outline the healthcare professional in England. purpose of the campaign.
Challenging austerity betterworkbetterlives.org @btrworkbtrlives I support the Better Work, Better Lives Campaign The Women’s Committee is I have worked in a primar school for over 23 years as a pleased to fully support the NIC school secretary. I work 32.5 hours per week and since 2007 I have had to rely on a second job to make ends ICTU campaign Better Work meet. The last time I got oil for the house I had to put it on a credit card & will be doing the same again this month. Better Lives. I can’t remember the last time I bought myself clothes and would love to be able to get some new things for the house. I dread the future now as I know that when/if I retirebetterworkbetterlives.org I will struggle instead of having a Launched in 2017, the little@btrworkbtrlives nest egg to rely on. My wages being capped thisI past support 7 or 8 the Better Work, Better Lives Campaign campaign aims to: years is, in reality, a pay cut. I have no idea how I am going to manage until I am 66 years old, that’s why I support the Better Work Better Lives campaign. Anna (her real name has been changed to protect her identity) works for a major Yvonnefood Clarkecompany as a meat packer earning just above the minimum wage and is a • Tackle the scourge of low pay and insecure SchoolUNITE Secretary, member. She is a single mother from Eastern Europe; she has a young daughter who has NIPSAasthma member and various other related health problems. Anna works hard, she has a mortgage to pay and is the sole provider for her family. work and promote decent work She has health problems and following an operation 5 years ago, cannot stand for more than 3-4 hours on the production line. Although the company is aware of her health problems, they have refused to make any reasonable adjustment. Anna often encounters hostility from managers at her workplace including one manager who openly curses at migrant workers. Recently when her child became very ill and had to go to hospital, she asked if her hours could be adjusted to allow her a weekend off. She was told that she would • Promote investment in public services and have to work on Saturday but that they might give her Sunday off. She worked all day Saturday and half day Sunday, but when she asked if she could go home, her manager refused her permission. Desperate, Anna found a colleague who agreed to cover for her. Despite this her manager still refused to let her go. infrastructure and ‘He did all thisbetterworkbetterlives.org with a smile on his face’ Anna told us and despite appealing to him as a parent, Anna@btrworkbtrlives was not allowed to return home to her sick child. Following only 2 weeks sick leave after a major operation, Anna returned to work because she was receiving no sick pay. She received a warning for being off sick. Despite appealing against this, many months later she still has not received any response from the Company. I support the Better Work, Better Lives Campaign Anna has another operation coming up, she is scared and does not know what will • Campaign to end the 1% public sector pay happen after that. Anna supports the Better Work Better Lives Campaign because she believes that no-one shouldI have have been to work a General like this. Classroom Assistant cap. for quite a number of years. Three years ago our local schools amalgamated, in this process I had my hours reduced by 10 hours a month. This has had an impact on me emotionally and financially as my job was important to me and meant so little to management, Workers testimonials gathered for the campaign this has also affected the pension I will receive. show the impact of insecure work on people’s As a result of this, my husband, who also works in the public sector, is having to work most weekends and has less lives, with low pay and insecure work often family time at home. Neither of us has had a proper pay rise to meet the rising affecting women most. As part of the campaign, living costs. Noreen Robinson the NIC ICTU highlighted the effect of these UNISON Public Sector Worker issues on workers lives through testimonials.
See www.betterworkbetterlives.org Better Work Better Lives for women workers
Challenging the Two Child Tax Credit policy
A major focus for Congress during this period was working with allies to challenge the horrendous ‘Two Child Tax Credit’ policy.
In 2016, the Conservative Government passed a law that made sweeping changes to the welfare system. One of those changes was to restrict child tax credits to only the first 2 children in a household. woman to the police if she discloses that she has been raped while in the process of making Affected are low- or no-income families with a claim for tax credit. See more about the more than 2 children, if any of those children 2 child tax credit campaign at https://www. are born after 6th April 2017. Any family womensaidni.org/everything-wanted-know- usually entitled to child tax credits (soon to be rape-clause/ the ‘child element’ of Universal Credit) will no longer get those tax credits for their third or subsequent child.
The cap is estimated to put an extra 200,000 children below the poverty line by the time it is fully rolled out.
Among the most controversial aspects of this horrendous policy is the so called ‘rape clause’ whereby a claim can be made for the third or more children if proof can be given that the child was conceived as a consequence of rape or having been in a coercive relationship. This has been labelled The Rape Clause.
The consequences for women and children of this ill thought out policy are obvious but there are also implications for workers – health NIC ICTU Chair Maria Morgan speaking at the rally professionals who may be forced to report a against the Rape Clause 40 41 Irish Congress of Trade Unions Women’s Conference 2018
Campaigning for universal, in England and Wales to ensure that there is sufficient childcare in place are reinforced by a affordable childcare. statutory duty laid down by the Childcare Act 2006. Congress is supporting a major civil society campaign, Childcare for All which brings The Childcare Act also ensures that parents together NGOs, childcare organisations have access to information on their childcare together with women’s organisations and trade options. As such, a network of Family unions to campaign for accessible, flexible and Information Services which span across each high quality childcare. local authority provides parents with advice and information on childcare. In Northern Ireland, parents and care providers face crippling childcare costs. A As such, we called on the NI Executive recent report by Employers for Childcare in to introduce legislation which lays out a Northern Ireland indicates for a family with statutory requirement to ensure that there is two children in full-time childcare the costs sufficient childcare in place and that parents can be as much as £16,432 per year; whilst the are provided with appropriate advice and average full-time childcare place now costs information on childcare. £158 per week, a £2 increase on last year’s figure. Despite this, Congress is dismayed that Among our wide range of other equality there is still no strategic Childcare plan for related activities during the period were: Northern Ireland. • The Equality Officer attends the Women’s In a response to a consultation on developing a Policy Group along with members of the Childcare strategy for Northern Ireland, Congress Women’s Committee. The major initiative argued that if a childcare strategy is to succeed, during this period was the production of the NI Executive must consider legislative the Women’s Manifesto which was used measures such as those introduced in GB. to influence Political Parties position on gender and equality matters in advance of England, Scotland and Wales have been the UK General Election in 2016. proactively addressing childcare since the late 1990s. • The Equality Officer and members of the Committee are members of the Women’s Each of the childcare strategies produced by Budget Group which works to promote gender these departments have been reviewed and sensitive budgeting. The group is working renewed over the years to ensure that the towards organising a pan island Gender problems associated with childcare are being Budgeting seminar to be held in early 2018. addressed. The duties of Local Authorities Better Work Better Lives for women workers
• Provision of Equality and Employment Law Dublin travelled to Belfast on the ‘Love Seminar Series along with the Equality Train’ to support the rally. Commission NI and the Labour Relations Agency. Highlights included two seminars • Organised a fringe meeting at the ICTU Biennial on pregnancy and maternity related conference in Belfast for Love Equality. discrimination and a seminar on the complex rules governing parental leave. • Participated in a major ETUC project - Safe at Home Safe at Work (https://www.etuc. • Responded to consultations on Childcare, org/documents/safe-home-safe-work-final- Stopping Domestic and Sexual Violence and report#.WmIV66hl-Uk). Members of Women’s Abuse, among others. Committee participated in a project conference in Madrid in 2016 which considered the • Continued participation in the Love Equality conclusions and country reports. campaign for civil marriage equality in Northern Ireland. This included organising • Regular engagement with the Equality a major rally in 2017 with an estimated Commission for Northern Ireland and the 10,000 people on the streets of Belfast city Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. centre in support of equality. Unions from
NIC ICTU and Executive Council member Patricia McKeown (UNISON) with Belfast Deputy Lord Mayor showing 42 43 support for the Love Equality campaign. Irish Congress of Trade Unions Women’s Conference 2018
Members of the Women’s Committee show solidarity for the Love Equality campaign at the Council of the Isles 2016 • Member of the Business and Human Rights Forum as well as the Equality Coalition and the Human Rights Consortium.
Long standing Women’s Committee member and UNITE Shop Steward Gaye Partridge played a major role in the campaign to save jobs in Bombardier in Belfast. She is pictured here with ICTU AGS Owen Reidy just before a major demo in January 2018. Better Work Better Lives for women workers
Gendered inequalities in employment - a story of change and continuity
In 2017, Dr Lisa Wilson from the NEVIN Economic Research Institute conducted a valuable piece of research on the gendered nature of employment and insecure employment in particular.
The results of this study showed evidence of enduring gender inequalities in the labour market, with women continuing to be more likely to be in insecure and part-time employment and comprising the majority of Members of the NI Women’s Committee proudly workers in permanent part-time, temporary display their banner. full- and part time employment, and part-time self-employment without employees. substantive gender segregation remains with men continuing to dominate in Men continue to hold a greater share of traditionally male-dominated sectors such permanent, full-time employment. as manufacturing and construction, and females continuing in dominate in public Furthermore, over the twenty-year period administration, education and health. from 1996 to 2016 women have continued to be more likely to work short hours. The paper The same is true in terms of occupational also shows that gender significantly mediates segregation. Over the twenty-year period the relationships between employment from 1996 to 2016, substantial continuity arrangements and both levels of education in terms of gendered occupational patterns and having children. Higher levels of education can be observed. Both men and women narrow the gap between males and females continue to dominate in occupations that have in terms of likelihood of being in insecure traditionally been associated with them. employment, whilst having children further amplifies the differentiation. When NERI examined the income of men and women across occupations ranging from In addition, whilst in 2016 gender segregation the lowest hourly paid to the highest hourly is less pronounced across industrial sectors paid, it was seen that women dominated and occupations than in decades past, in the low paid occupations. What is more,
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across the vast majority of occupations there and men. It consists in a set of legislative and remains a substantive gender pay gap, with non-legislative measures addressing three women continuing to earn less pay per hour interrelated areas: than men. • Family-related leave arrangements All in all, examining gender differences within (parental, paternity and carer’s leave) and and across different forms of employment flexible working arrangements; childcare arrangement illustrates a key element of the and long-term care; changing nature of employment. Women continue to dominate in the most insecure, • Economic incentives for parents and carers poorest quality forms of employment. to work. Furthermore, as is demonstrated by the higher likelihood of women to be in the lowest paid While topics under 1) consist of a mix of occupations, even if women are in full-time, legislative and non-legislative measures; permanent employment they are more likely topics falling under 2) & 3) deal with non- than men to be low paid, legislative actions only. and doubly, to earn less than men in these While it is clear that only legislation can bring low-paid occupations. A double penalty. concrete results in the area of family related leave, the ETUC considers that the promotion of Link to full paper https://www.nerinstitute.net/ policy guidance and best practices is needed to download/pdf/changing_nature_of_womens_ improve care facilities and economic incentives. work_lw_final_draft.pdf It is also worth recalling that in some areas where the non-legislative option is undertaken European Union and the EU has limited competencies (e.g. childcare facilities, tax incentives for second earners). Gender Equality Family-related leave arrangements and Among the major developments in the EU has flexible working arrangements been the proposal to introduce a Work Life Balance Directive. The ETUC strongly supports the proposal of a new Directive on work life balance, The ETUC comments: repealing the EU Directive on Parental leave 2010/18/EU based on the EU social The package on work-life balance issued by the partners’ agreement and introducing several Commission within the pillar of social rights improvements that have long been at the core aims at ensuring better balance between family of ETUC demands, namely: and professional commitments for women Better Work Better Lives for women workers
• Revision of the current individual affordability of these services. In its 1st stage entitlement on parental leave: payment reply to the social partners’ consultations, of parental leave at sick pay level; extending the ETUC underlined that care services ‘are the age of the child from eight to twelve pivotal factors for women’s employment and years entitling a parent to take parental for gender equality, and thus reconciliation of leave; the right for flexible uptake (i.e., work and family life for working parents’ and part-time, piecemeal), four months leave put forward several proposals to improve them. non-transferable between parents. Regarding the promotion of the provision of • Introduction of an individual entitlement elderly care and care for dependents, the ETUC to paternity leave of at least 10 working regrets that the Commission has not proposed days, paid at least at sick-pay level; the introduction of a new target to be set by the EU Council to fully integrate for efficiency • Introduction of an individual and equity reasons the risks of long-term care entitlement to carer’s leave of at least 5 in social protection systems, with monitoring days per year, paid at sick pay level. tools. possibly within the European Semester.
The Directive should explicitly guarantee the The EU Referendum right for autonomous social partners to negotiate and conclude collective agreements on work-life Among the most challenging issues facing the balance according to national law and practice. trade union movement in recent years has been the result of the referendum on whether the The ETUC also expressed regret that the UK should remain within the European Union. European Commission has failed to put Congress campaigned vigorously for a Remain forward a revision of the Maternity Protection vote and despite the fact that a majority of the NI Directive (92/85/EEC). The ETUC was calling for public voted to remain within the EU, the overall an extension of the length of maternity leave decision arising from the referendum was to exit. from 14 weeks to at least 18 weeks. In response to this decision, Congress has Childcare and long-term care campaigned to ensure that Workers do not pay the price of Brexit. The Congress position has Two other areas that the Commission intends been developed through a number of position to address with the work-life balance package papers (available on www.ictu.ie). The main are child-care and long-term care facilities. points of the Congress position are as follows: Through a variety of non-legislative actions the EU Commission aims at improving the quality, availability, accessibility and
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1. Protecting and advancing workers’ rights How women will be affected by Brexit has been considered by the Women’s Committee and 2. Protecting the Peace Agreement members of the Committee have taken part in discussions with a range of civil society 3. Protecting Trading arrangements organisations.
4. Defending Jobs and the Economy Of serious concern is the very real threat to employment rights and how these threats 5. Protecting Free Movement of People will impact on workers, especially women. Membership of the European Union has 6. Defending EU funding strengthened and improved important equality protections such as protection for pregnant 7. Ensuring that the trade union movement women and new mothers and has also plays a meaningful role in the negotiations expanded rights to equal pay.
8. Promoting a Social Europe Congress will continue to make representations at the highest levels both locally, nationally and Responding to the joint report on the progress internationally to ensure that Workers do not of Brexit negotiations, ICTU General Secretary Pay the Price of Brexit. Patricia King noted
We have consistently called for the full maintenance and implementation of the Good Friday/ Belfast Agreement, including its commitments to human rights and equality, and we have reiterated on every possible occasion that this agreement must be central to any negotiations as it remains an enabler not an inhibiter to a final agreement. Better Work Better Lives for women workers
Women’s Committee 2017-2019
Chair – Margaret Coughlan, Fórsa
Vice Chair – Betty Tyrrell Collard, Dublin Council of Trade Unions
Secretary – Melissa Brennan, Fórsa
Members
Aileen Atcheson, Carmel Corcoran, Joan Gaffney, Mary Brannigan, Clonmel Trades ESU MANDATE UNITE Council Carmel Heneghan, Karan O’Loughlin, Mary Diskin, Alison Gilliland, Galway Trades SIPTU Bray & District INTO Council Trades Council Karen Halpenny, Alison Regan, Carol Scheffer, Mary Ohle, ESU Dublin Council of CWU ASTI Trade Unions Margaret Browne, Carolyn Farrar, Moira Leydon, FSU Ann Healy, NUJ ASTI NUJ Margaret Moody- Cliodhna McNamara, Nuala Grealy, Maguire, Ann Russell, Fórsa INTO UNITE SIPTU Eileen Lawrence, Patricia Fanning, Margaret Moynihan, Annette Dolan, INMO Fórsa Bray & District TUI Fiona Lee, Trades Council Rhona McEleney, Bridget Neville, IFUT Fórsa Maria Benett, Wexford Trades Helen Linehan, ESU Sue Griffin, Council Fórsa SIPTU Marian Geoghegan, Bronagh O’Leary, Jackie O’Halloran, FSU Therese Caherty, MLSA AHCPS NUJ Martina Harkin-Kelly, INMO 48 49 Irish Congress of Trade Unions Women’s Conference 2018
Women’s Committee (NI) 2016-2018
Chair – Jacquie White, UTU
Vice Chair – Geraldine Alexander, NIPSA
Secretary – Eileen Gorman FSU
Alanagh Rea Margaret Gregg NIPSA GMB
Anne Speed Maxine Murphy-Higgins UNISON NASUWT
Carney Cumper Michelle Fay UTU USDAW
Cathy Darcan Naomi Connor PCS BDTUC
Danielle McCusker Sally Rock UNISON SIPTU
Gail Keown Susan Parlour GMB NASUWT
Gaye Partridge Taryn Trainor UNITE UNITE
Gayle Matthews Vivien Holding PCS CWU
Jackie McNeill USDAW Better Work Better Lives for women workers
annex a: Report on Motions Passed at Congress Women’s Conference 2016
Motion Union Title Action Number 1 Women’s Women and Austerity In Northern Ireland, Congress launched the Committee Better Work Better Lives campaign which (NI) is campaigning for decent, secure work for all and which recognises that insecure work affects women workers in particular. The Congress Charter for Fair Conditions at Work campaign ran North and South. 2 CWU (UK) Carers Statutory Paid Congress supports the intention behind the Leave EC Directive on Work Life Balance and in particular the proposals for paid carers leave. In light of the decision by the UK to exit the EU, Congress will continue to push for new rights to apply to NI workers. 3 CPSU Cost of Childcare In NI, Congress is part of a new campaign for Childcare for All which brings together civil society to campaign for affordable, accessible childcare. In ROI Congress continues to work with affiliates and NGOS in the sector. 4 ESU Mental Health Congress continues to support the Green Awareness Ribbon campaign and held a Friday briefing on looking after your mental health. 5 GMB Care Homes and Congress continues to support affiliates in Female Employees pursuit of decent work. 6 PSEU Equality in The Department have acknowledged that the Employment policies need to be reviewed and this is on their work programme for 2018. They also commissioned an ESRI report on Gender in senior civil service positions.
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7 NASUWT Flexible Working Congress continues to press the NI Assembly to review the legislation relating to flexible working and to press for an entitlement for flexible working rather than merely a right to request flexible working.
8 Limerick Bullying and A Working Group has been set up the Health Trades Harassment at Work & Safety Committee (ROI) to identify what Council policies, practices or initiatives can be put in place to support unions to deal more effectively with broad issues of mental health in the workplace but in particular with psychosocial risks, of which bullying is the most significant. Through its participation on the board of the HSA, Congress has been active in promoting the development of a new code of practice to prevent bullying in the workplace. Publication of this new code will provide an important opportunity for Congress and affiliated unions to highlight the issue.
9 NIPSA Women and the The Better Work Better Lives campaign will Economy address issues of Low Pay, decent work, investment in public services and ending the 1% public sector pay cap. In addition, Congress and the Women’s Committee, is part of the NI Women’s Budget group which is progressing gender budgeting within a NI context.
10 TUI Change to Sick Leave This was raised with management and a Entitlement review is taking place. Some improvements in way it is applied were secured but management have indicated that they not willing to go beyond a European Court ruling on what “reasonable” is in this regard. Better Work Better Lives for women workers
11 UNISON Pledge to end The Women’s Committee is playing an Zero Hours and active role in the Congress campaigns to Casualisation end insecure work and promote decent employment. Through our work with civic society, we will promote these campaigns and ensure that the disproportionate effect on women workers is highlighted.
12 USDAW Childcare and the Congress recognises the woefully inadequate Flexible Economy childcare infrastructure N/S. In NI, Congress is part of the Childcare for All campaign which will be launched in early 2018.
13 PCS Austerity and the Congress has actively campaigned against impact on Women the dogma of austerity and consistently highlighted the disproportionate impact on women and children. As part of the Better Work Better Lives Campaign, the NIC ICTU Women’s Committee will be participating in lobbies of MLAs and MPs
14 ASTI Child Poverty Congress continues to work with NGOs such as the Children’s Rights Alliance. Tackling family poverty is a key component of prebudget submissions. 15 UNITE Reproductive Health In NI, Congress has fully supported the Trust and Justice Women and has consistently called for reform of abortion legislation. Congress supports the Repeal the 8th Campaign in the Republic. 16 MANDATE Gender Pension Gap As part of our work on the gender pay gap Congress has included this issue also. We have also continued to lobby for the the reversal of the 2012 changes to PRSI qualification bands for pensions which discriminates against women.
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17 UTU Violence against We have succeeded in getting the workplace Women and Girls included as part of year two action plan of the NI Stopping Domestic and Sexual Violence and Abuse Strategy. Currently working on redrafting Government guidance to all employers on workplace policies.
18 Belfast and Marriage Equality Congress continues to play an active role in District the Love Equality campaign for civil marriage Trades equality in NI. Trade Unions Love Equality Council was launched at the ICTU BDC in July 2017 in Belfast and a Love Train travelled from Dublin to support the campaign.
19 Women’s Support for work of The content of the work programme continues Committee Women’s Committee to inform Congress and affiliate work on (ROI) gender equality, including our participation on the National Strategy for Women and Girls implementation group.
20 SIPTU Gender balance in Preparatory work for the Workers’ College Workers College had included provision for ensuring gender balance in all its operations and proposals for the gender-proofing of all courses to be offered. However, a decision was made by the Executive Council in December 2016 not to proceed with the college.
21 IMPACT Training and Congress is currently exploring work in Mentoring for Women partnership with Women4Election in this area. Trade Unionists Better Work Better Lives for women workers
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Irish Congress of Trade Unions www.ictu.ie www.ictuni.org www.betterworkbetterlives.org produced by: three-creative.com