The TUC campaigns against discrimination at work and in wider society. Unions have in particular been at the forefront of the drive for equality at work, whether through the struggle for equal pay, through tackling racism or working for equal access to learning and skills.
Congratulations to John Walker! For eleven years, he has been fighting his employer and the government, so that his husband can receive his pension when he dies. He had to fight because, until today, the law permitted same sex couples to be discriminated against. Today the Supreme Court upheld Mr Walker’s argument, giving same-sex couples…
Out at work? Those of us who hoped that homophobia at work was a thing of the past will be disappointed to read a new TUC report, ahead of the TUC’s LGBT conference and Pride in London this weekend. Earlier this year the TUC carried out an in-depth piece of research to find out whether…
The UK’s gender pay gap stands at 18.1% and at the current rate this gap will not close for at least another 40 years. This means that the average woman has to wait nearly a fifth of a year (66 days) before she starts to get paid, compared to the average man. Today the government…
With Mother’s Day approaching on Sunday, many of us will be trying to find the perfect gift for our hard-working mums or mother figures. Flowers, chocolates and perfume normally fit the bill. But if Ministers were thinking about really rewarding working mums this Mothering Sunday, then they might want to review our current maternity pay…
Spring is in the air, the blossom is on the trees, and we’re nearly a fifth of the way through 2017. So you might be surprised to learn that the average woman still hasn’t been paid for her work this year. Yes, you read that right. New analysis we’re publishing today shows that the average woman…
The British people’s decision to leave the EU is set to dominate the TUC’s work over the next few years. And I believe that, alongside securing a deal which protects jobs, Brexit poses two central challenges. The first challenge is to fight racism. Since the referendum result, we’ve seen an upsurge in xenophobia, hate crime…
Today the government published its long overdue response to the Women and Equalities Select Committee report on pregnancy and maternity discrimination. Given that the EHRC estimate that some 54,000 women are forced out of their jobs per year due to pregnancy discrimination, and the Women and Equalities Select Committee published their report in August 2016,…
Imagine that you’re applying for a mystery job and you’re told that all female applicants must adhere to the following dress code: Heel height normally a minimum of 2 inches and maximum of 4 inches, unless otherwise agreed by the client company. Make-up worn at all times and regularly re-applied, with a minimum of: Light…
I was struck by the coincidence of two news items yesterday. On the one hand, the World Economic Forum highlighted rising income inequality as one of four “global risks in 2017” because it threatens social cohesion and democratic societies’ ability to take action on other problems. On the other, the BBC’s ‘Reality Check’ debunked Jeremy…
On December 1st, Transgender Equality was debated on the Floor of the House of Commons for the very first time. Maria Miller MP moved the motion calling on the Government to review its response to the recommendations of the Women and Equalities Committee report on Transgender Equality, to ensure that the UK leads the world…