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(3)
The questionnaire procedure has played a key role in enabling union members to
evaluate whether they should bring a claim of discrimination, and has ensured
employers disclose important information relating to company procedures and
policies.
(4)
Conference welcomes the development of Union equality reps. Conference believes
that Union equality reps need a framework of support to ensure that they are
supported in the work that they do. We should work hard to develop regional and
national networks of Union Equality Reps.
(5)
Conference believes that we must work hard to achieve statutory recognition for
Union Equality Representatives. We must continue to press the case with the current
Government as well as ensure statutory recognition is a priority commitment for the
next Labour government.
(6)
Conference calls on the GFTU to campaign for employment rights from day one,
continue to oppose the use of Zero hour contract by employers, abolition of fees for
employment tribunals and for collective rights to organise and negotiate through
a trade union for better pay, terms and conditions and lobby the next Labour
Government to make them unlawful.
(7)
Conference resolves to work with afffiliates to develop a charter for equal rights,
employment rights and collective bargaining in order to rebuild our machinery for
equality.
Resolution 23
Women in Manufacturing, Engineering & Science
(1)
Conference is deeply concerned at the ongoing occupational and job segregation
existing in manufacturing. Women make up just under a quarter of the UK
manufacturing workforce, as compared with nearly half of the total UK workforce.
(2)
Although women play a key role in UK manufacturing sectors such as the food, drink
and clothing sectors, the segregation is stark in science, engineering and technology
(SET) with just one in twenty working women and one in three men, employed in
any SET occupation. Among younger workers, women account for just 3 per cent of
apprenticeships in engineering but dominate in low paid sectors.
(3)
Many women face problems with up-skilling, remain in lower grades and too few
are employed in the management and research functions or are SET students and
graduates resulting in loss of valuable skills.
(4)
Conference supports initiatives such as those to get more young women to consider
a career in engineering and the science sectors.
(5)
There is a lack of information on issues facing women in manufacturing, including
working patterns and health concerns as recent research has warned and PPE is
often inappropriate and inadequate for women working inmanufacturing.
(6)
Conference therefore calls on the GFTU Executive and Affiliates to:
•
share best practice between unions and support shop stewards and union
reps in tackling women’s under-representation and ending job segregation
within manufacturing;
•
support initiatives to get more women into engineering and science
apprenticeships;
•
urge the government to fund decent and well paid apprenticeships leading
to permanent employment, including positive action for young women;
•
work with unions to identify issues that concern women in manufacturing;
•
support affiliates in urging their governments for real investment in this
industry, to promote manufacturing apprenticeships among women and lift
barriers facing women;
•
insist that manufacturing companies ensure that procured components are
not produced in sweatshop conditions or where there is abuse of migrant
women or men workers.
Implementation
This policy was in fact taken up by a
number of organisations and media
outlets over the two year period and
many University and some prestigious
organisations such as the Royal
Society of Engineers took the matter
forward.