WOMEN AT WORK

Where are we now ?

WOMEN AT WORK

2007 Employment Rate for women in Ireland was 60.3% up from 48% in 1998 and above the EU target.

2008 : 921,600 women in employment

1,186,900 men in employment

526,000 women looking after

home and family (cso census)

At Work

Unemployed

Other

Retired

Student

Looking afterhome/family

WOMEN AT WORK

Where are women working?

WOMEN AT WORK2008

21% employed in Clerical/Admin. Compared to 5.1% of men

Professional occupations were most gender balanced 49.8% women

Craft and related least gender balanced men representing 95.7%

WOMEN AT WORK Education : 85% women in Primary level 62% in second level. Management level 51% and 38%

respectively. Health: 80% women , 32% Consultants Civil Service: 77% clerical, 24% Sec.Gen Hotels/restaurants: 58% female. Cleaning: 55% female Wholesale/Retail: 48.9% female

WOMEN AT WORK Hours worked (2008)

Women’s average hours per week – 31.3 Men’s average hours per week _ 40.3

Women represented 79.9% of persons working max. 19 hours per week.

WOMEN AT WORKGender pay gap

‘The gender pay gap is given as average gross hourly earnings of female paid employees as a percentage of average gross hourly earnings of male paid employees’ (cso)

Latest figures available 2009 CSO Report women’s hourly earnings were around 87% of men’s.”

 EC figures: 18% across the EU (Ireland comes in at 17.1%).  Lowest in Italy 4.9%

WOMEN AT WORKGender Pay Gap

In all sectors men earn more than women GPG smallest in clerical/admin 91% of male

average. Greatest in Sales occupations 75% of male

earnings.

WOMEN AT WORK

Union Organisation and membership

WOMEN AT WORK CSO tells us Q2 2009 34% of employees in

Ireland were in Trade Unions up from 31% in 2007.

Highest membership rate in Public Admin at 81%.

Lowest in Hotels/Food Services at 6%.

WOMEN AT WORKICTU Figures 2010

Total membership for the whole island: 812,848

Female membership: 414,719 – 51%

Total female membership ROI: 288,208 Total female membership NI: 126,543

WOMEN AT WORK

What progress have we made?

WOMEN AT WORK ICTU established Committee on Equal Pay

in1965. Ist Report of the Commission on Status of

Women in 1972. Removal of the marriage bar in 1973 Legislation : Anti Discrimination Act 1974 Employment Equality Act 1977 now

replaced by Acts 1998-2004 Maternity Leave/Parental leave/Adoptive

Leave and Protection of Employees (Partime Workers) Act 2001. etc.

WOMEN AT WORK Work Life Balance arrangements now being

included in more collective agreements.

More accessible in Public Sector.

Improved Legislative Protection.

WOMEN AT WORK Barcelona Council agreed targets of childcare

provision for at least 90% of children aged between 3-6 years and 33% at least of children below 3 years by 2010.

Ireland has insufficient data to measure its performance. QNHS indicates the effect having young children in the family has on female employment.

WOMEN AT WORK In 2008, employment rate for women 20-44

years was 66.1%.

The rate varied from 87.4% for women with no children to 56.9% for women whose youngest child was aged between 0-3 years.

WOMEN AT WORK

What are the issues for women at work into the future?

WOMEN AT WORK Issues include:

Lack of Union Organisation particularly in the low pay area (JLCs)

Continuing Gender Pay Gap Childcare Cost/Availability Glass Ceiling

WOMEN AT WORK Conclusion: This area has been well researched

and and we have achieved a lot. It speaks volumes about the value of

well organised Trade Union Movement in which women are visible and vocal participants.

Our predecessors laid down strong foundations for us to continue the struggle to achieve a fairer and more equitable society.

WOMEN AT WORK Our campaigns must extend beyond our own

island. We must reach out to those women who are

in a struggle across the globe. From the vantage point of what we have

achieved we must ask why one in eight women on the African Continent will die in childbirth.

We must question the regime that keeps Afghani women silent and illiterate.

It is important that we use our experience and knowledge to promote the cause of women across the world.