You are only pregnant, not dying. Get on with it!

Lack of awareness could be putting the health and well-being of pregnant women and unborn babies at risk, Usdaw research finds.

Research published today (6th September) by Usdaw provides proof that many retail employers may not fully understand their obligations towards pregnant workers - and by failing to follow statutory procedures they could be putting the health and well-being of pregnant women and their unborn babies at risk.

Usdaw, the UK's biggest trade union for shopworkers, questioned over 1,200 pregnant women who work in retail outlets. This is the largest study of its kind in the retail sector. Findings include:

• Although an encouraging 38 per cent of pregnant women felt their employer became more helpful and supportive, 62 per cent reported a negative change in attitude of their employer towards them during pregnancy. One in four told Usdaw they were made to feel marginalised and ignored.

• Many retail employers are unaware of what constitutes "suitable alternative work". A common response is to assign a pregnant worker to checkout duties. Research shows that the average combined weight of all goods lifted by a checkout operator during a four-hour shift is over one tonne.

• More than 22 per cent of respondents did not get paid time off for ante-natal appointments and over one in 10 women were told to work the time back.

• More than 70 per cent said they either did not get a risk assessment, or didn't know if they had. By law, all employers must conduct an individual risk assessment for pregnant workers.

• 40 per cent of pregnant women told Usdaw their employer either did nothing or made an unhelpful suggestion when they brought to their employer's attention the fact that they were experiencing difficulties with certain aspects of their job because of pregnancy.

• A quarter of pregnant shopworkers were not even given a suitable uniform to wear. One woman requested a company maternity uniform at week 13 - it arrived after she gave birth. Many women said they were forced to adapt uniforms (using elastic bands and zips to expand the waistline of trousers and skirts), or borrow bigger shirts from colleagues. In one instance, there was only one "pregnancy uniform" in a store, which was passed around from one pregnant worker to another.

John Hannett, Usdaw General Secretary, said: "Many pregnant women had a positive experience and felt supported by their employer. Usdaw is extremely concerned, however, that the examples of good practice are outweighed by the bad experiences. Many women told us they felt undervalued, ignored, humiliated, even made to feel guilty about being pregnant. Women who asked for help were told to stop complaining, repeated requests for maternity uniforms fell on deaf ears and women were excluded from decisions on the basis that they were pregnant." He added: "Where we found good practice, Usdaw will be working with employers to help encourage its spread. But equally we're already approaching retail employers to ask them to work with Usdaw to tackle the many problems highlighted by this research."

Notes to Editors:

• Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest trade union, with over 337,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in retail, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, dairy process, call centres and other trades.

• The retail sector is the UK's second biggest employer of women. Two-thirds of retail staff are women.

• The annual National Pregnancy Week of baby charity Tommy's runs from 6th to 12th September 2004.

• Usdaw's report is based on a survey, conducted in January and February 2004, of women's experiences of pregnancy at work. It was initiated to support the Equal Opportunities Commission's formal investigation into pregnancy discrimination at work. The Usdaw survey was distributed to around 4,000 women, with the help of Usdaw reps, officials, members of the union's women's divisional committees and some employers. A total of 1,239 completed survey forms were returned to Usdaw.

• The full survey can be downloaded at the end of this text (pdf format).

• This survey is the subject of an Usdaw fringe meeting at the British Trades Union Congress at 5-30pm, on 13th September 2004, Hall B East, Brighton Centre, Brighton. Journalists are welcome to attend.

• More information and news releases are available at our online Newsroom.

• Journalists can subscribe to receive Usdaw news releases via our online e-news service.

Usdaw Media Contacts:

Kevin Hegarty (0161 249 2443 or 07919 227756)
Peter Rees-Farrell (0161 249 2444)

Additional findings from the Usdaw survey

• Over half (57 per cent) of the women surveyed said they found certain aspects of their job difficult when pregnant. The most common difficulties included: lifting, carrying and manoeuvring heavy loads (45.3 per cent), standing and sitting for long periods (21.3 per cent), twisting/bending/reaching (12.4 per cent) and hours of work (seven per cent).

• Just over one-fifth (21.1 per cent) of women said that their employer did arrange alternative work. Another 14.6 per cent identified other helpful changes (including re-arranging hours of work, flexibility over taking breaks, offering use of rest facilities and allocating tasks to others).

• Only 25 per cent of pregnant women were aware of the right to be suspended from work on full pay if their employer is unable to offer work that is safe.

• The vast majority of women (95.8 per cent) reported that they had not been subject to any disciplinary action as a result of a pregnancy-related issue.

• Over 31 per cent of women who do not smoke were exposed to others cigarette smoke during the course of their work.

• After requesting alternative work, one in 10 respondents were moved to the checkouts - because of their employer's badly-informed belief that this constitutes "light duties".

A sample of quotes from Usdaw's survey

• "I have been treated very fairly throughout both my pregnancies at work. Because of this, I worked up until I was seven months pregnant and didn't need to take any time off work." (from Port Talbot)

• "My employers were very accommodating during my pregnancy. I found them to be very helpful and considerate during the hot summer months when I was heavily pregnant. They did everything possible to make my pregnancy at work as comfortable as possible." (from Plymouth)

and the bad…

• "I had to sit at my till at all times making it very uncomfortable and I wasn't allowed to walk around. I felt like I was being punished. I was told by a manager that I was only having a baby, not dying, and to get on with it." (from Portsmouth)

• "When I challenged decisions made over my head (which often happened) I was told I was hormonal and then disregarded." (from Yorkshire)

• "I was made to feel stupid because I couldn't hold my bladder towards the end of pregnancy. I was offered nappies to wear. This broke me." (from Portsmouth)

• "My manager tried to tell me I had to make up the time (after going to ante-natal appointments). When I wouldn’t back down she said: Shall I go and get pregnant so I can get time off work?" (from Plaistow)

• "I had to do part of a shift, leave at the last minute (for my ante-natal appointment) and then return and make the time up." (from Cornwall)

• "My manager didn't think I was allowed (paid time off for ante-natal appointments). I think he thought I was skiving instead of going to see the midwife." (from Lincolnshire)

• "I was lifting trays of meat, blocks of cheeses (20kg in a box), boxes of fish. Having to lean into deli counters. Being at work nine hours without a break. Going home at 9pm and starting work at 7am the next day. I had no risk assessment. My manager never asked me how I was coping. I collapsed at work and was admitted to hospital twice." (from Hertfordshire)

• "They expected me to continue to lift, stretch, be constantly on my feet, work until 10pm and then start again at 7am the following day - right up to my 37th week of pregnancy." (from Lancashire)

• "At six months I was quite large and couldn't really fit behind the checkouts. It hurt when I went forward and pressed on my stomach. I felt like an inconvenience. When I asked about moving from the checkouts as it was hurting and uncomfortable, I was told there were no vacancies." (from Penzance)

• "They were reluctant to let me go to the toilet - only when there was more staff to cover, which meant I was going three to four hours without a toilet break. I was lifting heavy beer boxes through the tills. I was never offered any help with this and it caused a lot of back pain." (from East Lothian)

• "I was not involved or included in work-related things as much as I would have been if not pregnant. The general attitude was 'you're going off soon, so why bother.'" (details not supplied)

 Printer Friendly Page

 Email to a Friend

© 2003 (USDAW) Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
This page: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/equality/news/1094217025_10654.html
Last Modified: Friday, 08-Oct-2004 00:15:27 EST
Site Credits