Women’s working hours targeted to cut costs

WOMEN workers are seriously undermined by the economic downturn, the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) has revealed.

NWCI director Joanna McMinn said women were being forced to work shorter hours and to work to contract because of cost-saving measures.

“Women are not necessarily losing jobs but they are being asked to cut back and work much shorter hours and that is happening because women have been great at providing flexibility in the labour market,” she said.

The fact that flexibility was being exploited was also impacting on women’s ability to continue to meet childcare costs, she warned at a conference in Dublin to mark International Women’s Day.

“It is happening right across the board, not just in the low-paid sector,” said Ms McMinn, who has also called for an increase in the number of women in top-decision positions.

Ms McMinn said there was a danger the economic downturn would reduce the number of women represented in crucial positions where women’s rights were at greater risk.

Ms McMinn was also concerned that the cutbacks in state institutions that protected people’s rights would result in far fewer women challenging pregnancy and maternity leave discrimination.

“A lot of women are even afraid to say they are pregnant, not because they will lose their jobs but because they will not be promoted or supported,” she said.

The conference Inspiring Women — Challenging Voices, Changing Times, was organised by the NWCI and Banúlacht, a feminist development education organisation that works with women’s community-based organisations in Ireland and in developing countries.

Banúlacht is deeply concerned at the e95 million cut in overseas development aid and the impact it will have on their ability to work with women overseas.