Usdaw is calling on the Labour Party in consultation with trade unions to explore and commit to designing more effective family friendly employment rights including opening them up to agency workers and women on temporary or short hours contracts.

Leading the Usdaw delegation, Ruth Cross – Usdaw’s Equalities Officer says: “Usdaw is concerned that women in low hours, low paid, insecure and temporary work are frequently unable to access maternity pay and other significant family friendly rights. Existing maternity, parental and family friendly rights assume a pattern of work that is no longer a reality for many millions of women workers, namely full time, permanent, well paid employment.

“Many of the rights contain a requirement to be an employee and to have worked for the same employer for a period of at least 26 weeks.  This is the case for maternity pay, shared parental leave, parental leave and the right to request flexible working.

“Underpinning family friendly working in the UK is the assumption that the best way to balance work and care is for women themselves to negotiate flexible working.  However even where women are aware of their rights and meet the qualifying conditions, women in ‘insecure’ employment often feel unable to approach their employer for fear of being seen as unreliable or a liability.  This includes many women on short hours contracts or women whose hours are subject to regular change.

“Maternity rights is an issue that is always high on Usdaw’s agenda. Discrimination against working mothers is a growing concern and we remain absolutely committed to providing a strong voice for their needs and concerns, as we seek the support of the Labour Party.”

Notes for editors:
 
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest and the fastest growing trade union with around 430,000 members. Membership has increased by more than 28% over the decade. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
 
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion