Supporting Parents and Carers Campaign - reps briefing No.1

Date: 01 December 2004

Supporting Parents and Carers Campaign - reps briefing No.1

We have launched a major national campaign to win a better deal for the many thousands of members who are juggling work with family life. We are running this campaign because members have told us that work/life balance issues are the biggest problems they face. This briefing sets out the campaign’s aims and objectives. It also gives you practical things you can do now, to help get the campaign off to a good start:

With over three quarters of the UK workforce affected by issues of working hours and caring responsibilities, this campaign is crucial to overcoming those work/life balance problems.

Usdaw reps will be crucial in helping to make sure the campaign reaches all members across the union. We will be sending you regular updates on the campaign to make sure you know what's going on and to let you know how you can stay involved.

Parents and carers need the support of their union and this is a campaign that can really help make a difference.

Why are we campaigning on this issue?

When the children are ill, when a relative needs taking to the hospital, when an elderly parent has a fall - these are the times when our members most need support from their employer.

This campaign is about encouraging employers and the Government to do more to support working parents and carers.

What will the campaign achieve?

• Increased maternity and paternity pay.

• Paid time off for family emergencies and hospital appointments.

• More say for members in the hours they work.

• More flexible ways of working such as term-time contracts.

• Employers to help more with childcare.

The campaign will also seek a better deal for working parents and carers from the Government including:

• Paid parental leave.

• Statutory rights to leave for carers.

• Strengthening of the right to request flexible working.

We also want to make sure that Usdaw members know about the rights they already have and how we want to build on them. Many don't know about rights like:

• The Right to request flexible working.

• Time off for Dependants.

• Paid paternity leave.

More details on these rights can be found in our Maternity and Parental Rights Pack or by contacting the Women and Equalities section at Usdaw Central Office.

Is it realistic to ask employers to give parents and carers better rights?

The vast majority of workers are parents or carers and the number is growing. In the UK there are now more than 12 million parents and 7 million carers. That's approximately three quarters of the workforce. So employers need to be able to attract staff with caring commitments by doing more to help them.

Employers who support parents and carers reap the benefits in terms of higher staff motivation, reduced sickness absence and low staff turnover. A recent survey of family friendly employers by Labour Research Department found that sickness absence had been cut by 41% as a result of introducing more support for parents and carers.

Usdaw's negotiators have a strong case and we are already working with a number of employers to improve support for staff with caring commitments.

How can I get involved in the campaign?

• Ask parents and carers in your workplace to complete our survey. We want to find out more about the pressures of juggling work and family life. You can help by giving the survey to parents and carers in your workplace and returning them to Central Office. Please feel free to photocopy the survey.

• Encourage colleagues to write to their MP. The Government is reviewing rights for parents and carers and our General Secretary, John Hannett, is on the review team. However, we need to get the support of MPs to help promote our campaign. The best way of doing this is for Usdaw members to send a letter to their local MP. If you don't know who your MP is please phone 020 7219 3000. Again please feel free to photocopy the letter.

Throughout 2005 the campaign will develop and we will be having:

• Workplace action days.

• Postcard campaigns to nominate the best family friendly manager.

• Petitions to lobby government.

• Displays for union noticeboards.

• Leaflets telling members about their rights.

Supporting Parents and Carers Campaign - reps briefing No.1 was correct at date of publication December 2004.

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© 2003 (USDAW) Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
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Last Modified: Tuesday, 21-Aug-2007 23:30:34 EST