Close the Gap newsround (19)

This week's newsround includes articles on the pay gap in media professions and a summit on women's employment Scotland.

NEWS - SCOTLAND

Scottish Government

First Minister Announces Women's Job Summit

NEWS - UK

The Guardian

TV production survey points towards gender pay gap

Burning issues for female firefighters

The Telegraph

FOI request reveals BBC pays high ranking men 10 per cent more than women

People Management

PwC, BT and Diageo rewarded for gender diversity progress

The Times

Top 50 Employers for Women

Wales online

Women still hit hardest by job losses with 4,000 more unemployed

City A.M.

Female accountants see gender as barrier

Accountancy Age

Female accountants paid fifth less than male counterparts

Close the Gap newsround (12)

This week's newsround includes articles on occupational segregation and gender stereotyping.

NEWS - UK

The Guardian

The female unemployment crisis

Female playwrights still face sexism – it's time we admitted it

Labour looks to Denmark for childcare policy

Labour's childcare plans will help families work

HR Magazine

Female-to-male management ratio across Europe is 29:71

Europe University World News

Why universities need more women at the top

EVENTS

International Women's Day - Women in Scotland 2012 - The Big Picture

Close the Gap will be speaking at Engender's Women in Scotland 2012 Conference being held on International Women's Day Wednesday 8 March in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, 10am-4.30pm

The event is an opportunity to take part in discussions around; gender budgeting, occupational segregation, welfare reform and poverty, childcare, women in the economy and many more issues. For more details about this FREE event click on the link above.

Equality in Employment: Gender, Diversity and Inclusion in the Financial Service Sector

Thursday 8 March, London 12.30 – 16.30

The Equality and Human Rights Commission in collaboration with City HR Associates and the Financial Services Authority are holding an International Women’s Day Symposium to consider some of the challenging questions around progression and compensation of women in the finance industry.

Apprenticeships and Training Conference 2012

Thursday 29 March, Edinburgh

Emma Ritch, Project Manager at Close the Gap will be speaking at the Apprenticeship and Training Conference on gender stereotyping in educaiton and training and the impact on sustainable economic growth.

February 24: Work Your Proper Hours Day

Feb 24 is Work Your Proper Hours Day. This date is when the average worker in the UK who does unpaid overtime finishes the unpaid days they do every year and starts working for themselves. 

It is estimated that over 5 million people did unpaid overtime in 2011. And with an average of 7.2 hours of unpaid overtime, the TUC estimate this is worth £29.2 billion to the UK economy. In Scotland, the number of people who do unpaid overtime has increased by 5% from 2010 to 417,000 people in 2011.

The TUC have calculated that the highest number of workers working unpaid overtime are concentrated in the public sector, where 27.8% of all employees work unpaid overtime compared to 18.6% of private sector employees. In Scotland, two-thirds of public sector workers are women and as job cuts and pay freezes continue in the public sector, it is likely that more and more women will be expected to do more for less.

The proportion of employees in their late 50s and early 60s working unpaid overtime has increased sharply in the last decade, but those aged 35-54 are still working the most hours of unpaid overtime. This is perhaps is not surprising as the majority of the workforce will fall into that age category and it coincides with the pivotal point for many individuals progressing their careers.

The TUC argue this is equivalent to approximately 1 million full-time equivalent jobs, but acknowledge that the presenteeism culture of many workplaces in the UK is part of the problem, rather than the unpaid overtime translating directly into jobs.

Presenteeism has a profound effect on women’s participation in the labour market. Workplace culture can be a barrier to women’s retention and progression within the workplace. The need to be seen to be putting in the extra hours do not fit with the family-friendly working practices many women (and men) need. This is particularly acute when we consider that the age profile of highest level of unpaid overtime coincides with the point at which many women may be thinking of starting a family, returning to work after a career/maternity break and/or are looking for a promotion that fits round their caring responsibilities.   

Presenteeism in the workplace limits the choices for those who have caring responsibilities, the vast majority of whom are women. As a result women are forced to look for part-time work, often in lower valued and low paid positions or leave the labour market as they cannot afford to work due to the high costs of childcare. As women’s unemployment continues to rise there is an even greater case to ensure that the barriers to women’s participation in the workplace are addressed.

Long hours are bad for our health; cause stress; they wreck relationships; they make caring for children or dependents more difficult; and tired, burnt-out workers are bad for business and economic growth.

Work Your Proper Hours Day website has a long-hours clinic and calculator to check and map your workplace culture.

Close the Gap newsround (11)

This week's newsround includes articles on occupational segregation, gender stereotyping and equal pay.

NEWS - SCOTLAND

The Courier - Tayside and Fife

Low-paid workers win right to have backdated wages claim heard at tribunal

NEWS - UK

The Guardian

Equality: coalition is missing the point about women

Women chefs on how they chopped to the top

Women at work: edging towards equality

Can David Cameron be made to understand what women want?

Bafta awards: British women vie for writing prizes

The Independent

Women swelling the ranks of the jobless

The Telegraph

Women and young bear brunt of rise in unemployment, says think tank IPPR

Bury Times
Equal pay appeal hearing will go ahead

EVENTS

Women and Work - Scottish Parliament

Tuesday 21 February, 2pm-4pm

Close the Gap will be participating in the Equal Opportunities Committee’s round-table session on Women and Work during Trade Union Week. Contact Ann Henderson at the STUC (t) 0141 337 8100 for further information on how to register to attend.

International Women's Day - Women in Scotland 2012 - The Big Picture

Close the Gap will be speaking at Engender's Women in Scotland 2012 Conference being held on International Women's Day Wednesday 8 March in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, 10am-4.30pm

The event is an opportunity to take part in discussions around; gender budgeting, occupational segregation, welfare reform and poverty, childcare, women in the economy and many more issues. For more details about this FREE event click on the link above.

Equality in Employment: Gender, Diversity and Inclusion in the Financial Service Sector

Thursday 8 March, London 12.30 – 16.30

The Equality and Human Rights Commission in collaboration with City HR Associates and the Financial Services Authority are holding an International Women’s Day Symposium to consider some of the challenging questions around progression and compensation of women in the finance industry.

Apprenticeships and Training Conference 2012

Thursday 29 March, Edinburgh

Emma Ritch, Project Manager at Close the Gap will be speaking at the Apprenticeship and Training Conference on gender stereotyping in educaiton and training and the impact on sustainable economic growth.