WOMEN & WORK:LOCAL, NATIONAL AND

EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVES

OUTLINE

• THE ISSUES

• THE PROJECT

• THE KEY STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

OUTLINE

• INTRODUCTION

• THE PROBLEM

• PRESSURE FOR CHANGE

• THE WINS PROJECT

• WIDER FRAMEWORKS, STRATEGIES & OBJECTIVES

• CONCLUSIONS

The problem

• Increasing participation of women in employment and higher education

• Horizontal and vertical segregation

• Expected expansion of employment opportunities

• Skills deficit

• The gender pay gap

THE GENDER PAY GAP

• 3 years after graduation, female graduates earn average of 15% less than male graduates

• Full-time pay gender pay gap 14.4%

• Part-time gender pay gap 43.2%

• (4 times as many women as men work part-time)

PRESSURE FOR CHANGE

• FEMINISM

• LOBBY GROUPS

• TRADE UNIONS

• POLITICIANS

• EUROPE

THE LOCAL NEED

The economic activity rate for women of working age in NI is 63%, compared to 76% for men

• The corresponding rate for women in GB is 73%

• Salaries for women are 20-30% higher in non-traditional (NT) jobs

WHAT IS WINS?

• WOMEN INTO NON-TRADITIONAL SECTORS

• LED BY BELFAST CITY COUNCIL

• EQUAL COMMUNITY INITIATIVE

THE WORKPLACE CONTEXT

• 1 female out of 400 operational staff in Cleansing Services

• 21% of “blue collar” staff in Housing Executive are female

• Under 10% of drivers in Translink are female

• 1% of construction industry are female

Partnership Approach

EMPLOYERS

TRAININGPOLICY

The Development Partnership

EMPLOYERS

• Belfast City Council

• NI Housing Executive

• Translink

• Construction Industry Training Board

TRAINING

• TRAINING FOR WOMEN NETWORK

• WOMEN’S TEC

• BELFAST GEMS

POLICY

• ICTU (NI COMMITTEE

• DEPARTMENT EMPLOYMENT & LEARNING

• HELM CORPORATION

• QUB

European Partners

– Glass Wall – Netherlands– Futura – Germany– Dublin Employment Pact

PROJECT OUTCOMES

• Address the gender imbalance in workforce

• Address gender pay gap

• Direct benefit to women

• Demonstrate commitment to equality

• Improve policies and practice

European context

• Social and demographic changes

• Global economy

Objectives -

• Sustainable economic growth

• Competitive knowledge-based society

• Gender equality

WIDER POLICY FRAMEWORK

• LOCAL:– GENDER EQUALITY STRATEGY

• NATIONAL: – WOMEN AND WORK COMMISSION

EUROPEAN: – LISBON STRATEGY– EUROPEAN TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION– EUROPEAN ROAD MAP– UNICE

WOMEN & WORK COMMISSION REPORT

(February 2006)

• Set up 2004, Political leadership

• To try to close the gender pay gap within a generation

• All stakeholders involved

• Multi-faceted approach

Major points

• Need to embed changes

• Public sector to take the lead

Recommendations

• Widen horizons in early years teaching

• Teacher training to challenge stereotyping

• Careers education coordinators

• New framework for vocational skills & work experience

• Employer visits and taster days

• Work experience placements

• Careers literature & resources to target parents and carers

• Careers information, advice and guidance which challenges stereotypes, generates understanding of pay, rewards and challenges

• Promotion of apprenticeships for women• Media to be encouraged to show non-

stereotypical portrayals of men & women at work

COMMON STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

• De-segregation

• Reducing gender pay gap

• Increasing skills pool

• Improving organizational practice

• Public sector taking the lead

• Mainstreaming

• Benefiting the economy

COMMON STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

• Education and awareness

• Challenging gender stereotyping

• Improving work-life balance

• Increasing personal choice

• Encouraging diversity

CONCLUSIONS

HITTING LOCAL, NATIONAL & EUROPEAN STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, SHARING GOOD PRACTICE

EMBEDDING CHANGE