Half a century on and the fight for equality still rages

Jennifer Dempsie

Iam a self-confessed addict of the stylish TV series Mad Men, set in the 1960s advertising industry. The show has received plaudits for its authentic portrait of women’s lives in the workplace, depicting the outright discrimination they faced. Roll on 50 years and, sadly, some of that same discrimination still exists. The Equality and Human Rights Commission published a report into pregnancy and maternity discrimination in July, yet it was not until SNP MPs secured a debate on it this week that the Tory government discussed it.

The report showed unlawful maternity and pregnancy discrimination is now more common in Britain’s workplaces than ever, with 54,000 pregnant women and new mothers – or one in nine – estimated to be forced out of their job each year.

The incidence of such discrimination has significantly worsened over the past decade.

Given the severity of the situation, we need the UK Minister for Equalities, Nicky Morgan, to take direct government intervention, including a high-profile information campaign to promote workplace rights.

My concern about this is that her gender equality approach has, so far, been unconvincing. And the fact she voted against the Same Sex Marriage bill in 2013 makes me wonder why she was appointed – although she has now changed her position.

She favours a non-interventionist “business-led” approach to workplace equality and a focus on “cultural change”– which is all well and good but without teeth.

In contrast, gender equality is at the heart of the government’s programme in Scotland.

The contrast north and south of the border is stark. For example, the Tory government backs a businessled target of 33% women on only FTSE 350 boards by 2020. However, the Scottish Government wants all public, private and third-sector bodies to achieve 50/50 gender splits on boards by 2020.

Women are still dealing with some of the same workplace discrimination they faced in the 1960s. The UK Government must stop paying mere lip service to gender equality. How long must we wait?