A Future that Works

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Calling for a future that works

Responsible department: Her Majesty's Treasury

We call on the government to recognise that austerity isn’t working and to develop an alternative that will provide decent jobs, rising prosperity for all and maintain high quality public services. People across the UK face the steepest fall in living standards in living memory, long term unemployment, job insecurity and huge cuts to public services. We note that policies being pursued by the government to cut back spending are making matters worse – prolonging the economic crisis, hurting consumer confidence and resulting in higher borrowing. As such we call for the government to adopt an alternative approach that prioritises investment, growth and decent jobs, as well as measures to boost wages for households on low to middle incomes who continue to see their living standards squeezed.


To sign the petition visit:
https://submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/40451

International Women’s Day 2013 - WEN Wales

International Women’s Day 2013

Around the world, International Women’s Day marks a celebration of the economic, social, cultural and political achievements of women. The growing international women’s movement has helped make International Women’s Day a special day for promoting women’s rights and participation in political and economic processes.  It is a time to reflect on the progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of women’s rights.
The Welsh Government is making funding available through the Women’s Equality Network Wales (WENWales) for events in celebration of International Women’s Day 2013.  Your organisation is invited to submit an application for funding from this grant.  The theme for International Women’s Day 2013 in Wales will be
” Visible Women: Empowering girls and women in Wales
For more information and application forms go to:

• International Women’s Day 2013
• IWD Project feedback sheet

To receive the application forms in Word format to complete please email admin@wenwales.org to express an interest in applying.

WRC Survey: Impact of the cuts on women’s voluntary and community organisations

WRC Survey: Impact of the cuts on women’s voluntary and community organisations

Support services for women are under threat from an unprecedented level of public spending cuts: a 2011 survey by Women’s Resource Centre found that 95% of women’s organisations were facing funding cuts or a funding crisis and 25% said that further cuts would result in closure.

WRC needs robust and current evidence to demonstrate the disproportionate impact of the cuts on women’s voluntary and community organisations and influence policy-makers. To do this we need your help!

This survey is part of a research project that aims to map the current state of the women’s sector. Its results will be published in a report that will highlight the impact of funding cuts on women’s organisations and the services available to women who need support.

By taking part, you will help the WRC to present the genuine social cost of the cuts to decision makers and put forward the recommendations that could benefit the women’s sector in the long term.

We also have a £50 Neal’s Yard Remedies voucher to give away to one lucky respondent! To complete the survey and to enter the prize draw, please visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3CQGT7H . The survey will close on Sunday 18^th November.

For further details, please contact the WRC Policy Team on 020 7324 3030 or email policy@wrc.org.uk

http://afuturethatworks.org/why-we-are-marching/

A pregnant pause on maternity

(27/07/12) Pregnant women and new mothers are facing a tough time. What is UNISON doing about this?

Visit: http://www.unison.org.uk/activists/pages_view.asp?did=14568

WOMEN BEAR BRUNT OF ‘GROSSLY UNFAIR’ CUTS

·        Female unemployment hits 20 year high

·        Unemployment amongst women in Wales rises nearly twice as fast as figure for population as whole

TRADE unions in Wales have reacted angrily to the disproportionate impact unemployment is having on women in Wales. Stark statistics show that compared with last year, the number of unemployed people in Wales rose by 17.8% while the same figure for women stands at 34.4%.

The Wales TUC today labelled the development as ‘grossly unfair’ and a shameful indictment on the Coalition Government’s failing austerity agenda. As female unemployment has reaches a twenty year high, UNISON Cymru has also warned that women are set to keep losing out as the public sector faces yet more cuts.

Wales TUC General Secretary Martin Mansfield said:
“These figures are solid proof that the cuts are hitting women hardest.

“How can it be fair that unemployment has risen twice as much for women than society as a whole? It’s a shameful indictment on a UK Government that is happy watch decades of social progress roll back whilst sitting on its hands.

“This will lead to more poverty and inequality which is why unions are fighting for a 'future that works' with jobs and decent services for all”

Win Wearmouth, UNISON Cymru/Wales Deputy Convenor, said:

“We know that women are suffering disproportionately as a result of the recession and the attack on the welfare state from the UK Tory-led government.

“Women make up around 65% of the public sector workforce, so it is easy to see that women are at higher risk of losing their jobs when it comes to the reduction of the public services.

“Furthermore, the impacts of public service cuts are going to be felt more deeply by women. Women typically use more state services and benefits than men for a variety of reasons, including pregnancy and maternity needs, and the fact that women are more likely to be lone parents.

“We can see from the disproportionate rise of unemployed women in Wales that women are fast becoming the casualties of the recession.

“This is not to say that other people within our communities aren’t suffering too, but the reality is clear, women are bearing the brunt of the Westminster Government’s viscous austerity measures.

“I have very real concerns, on the behalf of women in all of our communities, that the clock is being turned back on women’s equality.”

Female unemployment rises to a 20-year high of 8.3%
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-18268294

What do you think are the main issues affecting women’s employment opportunities in Wales?

Chwarae Teg has commissioned the research organisation Ecorys to undertake a key piece of research to fill a gap in existing knowledge about women’s current roles and their contributions to the Welsh workforce. The research is setting out to gather the experiences, circumstances and views of real women relating to employment. Specifically, the research will compare findings with similar research conducted in 1996 and 2002 and will therefore make an important contribution to policy and the development of support and initiatives to support women in work.

If you would like the opportunity to share your views on the issues that matter visit http://womenwaleswork.org/
 Your contribution to this forum will be invaluable in helping the research to understand the issues facing women in Wales in 2012.

Did you know that the Government are thinking of reducing maternity leave to 18 weeks? 

Have a look at this campaign from Working Families...

Did you know that the Government are thinking of reducing maternity leave to 18 weeks?  We believe that six months matters for Mums to recover from birth and prepare to return to work.

Current law allows most women to return to work after two weeks, but the presumption is that women will take 52 weeks’ leave unless they tell employers they want to come back sooner.  Under potential Government plans, the presumption will be 18 weeks of leave after which you will have to negotiate with your employer. 

Working Families are campaigning for at minimum standard of 26 weeks (six months) of maternity leave for all women and want to know if six months matters/ed to you.

Whether you’re about to have a baby, are in the middle of maternity leave or you’re back at work, we would like to hear your stories.

What do you remember as the best bit of maternity leave?

When were you ready to organise childcare or negotiate working patterns? When did you start getting any sleep?

And most critically, would you have been ready to return to work after 18 weeks? 

If you believe that six months maternity leave matters for mums and babies, please help us:

1         Tell us your stories on Working Families FACEBOOK page here

Upload your pictures of your baby between 4 and 6 months and tell us      
            why six months mattered to you.

2         Take the NetMums survey this week here:     

www.surveymonkey.com/s/maternityleavesurvey

3         And spread the word by emailing this message to six more friends and ask them to tell us why six months mattered/s to them

Thanks for all your help and please do follow our campaign by ‘liking’ our facebook page

Working Families registered office:

1-3 Berry Street, London EC1V OAA
Tel: 020 7253 7243
Website: http://www.workingfamilies.org.uk/

Not only are women more likely to face job cuts or cuts to terms and conditions, we are the ones who will lose out from cuts to public services such as libraries, leisure centres, early years care, health care, and to top it all, we're generally the one's who take on the unpaid carer role, be it children, parents, grandparents
There is an alternative to spending cuts, so why aren't we taking these into account? http://falseeconomy.org.uk/

Want your voice heard? Interested in Equality for Women? Want to become involved in Women's Equality in Wales?
Join now!  Visit: http://www.wenwales.org/

If you would like more information on UNISON and women in Unison - visit the website...Women in Unison website