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CORPORATIONS must show how they are supporting their female employees on International Women’s Day today, the TUC is demanding.
The annual event, which originated from socialist movements across Europe and North America in the early 20th century, is a global celebration of the social, economic, political and cultural achievements of women.
But too many firms pay lip service to the day, while failing to support the women in their own workforce, the union body charged.
It stressed that women still face significant discrimination at work and wider society.
Bosses were called upon to do more to help advance gender equality.
The gender pay gap persists at 15.4 per cent, while the disparity for pensions is more than twice that at a massive 37.8 per cent, the TUC highlighted.
It warned last month that women must effectively wait 56 days each year before they start to make a living because of the problem.
More than 50,000 women are forced out of the labour market every year due to pregnancy and maternity discrimination and one million have left their jobs due to a lack of support while experiencing menopause, the union body said.
Half of all women have suffered sexual harassment at work, it said.
This figure rises to seven in 10 for disabled women, while one in eight lesbian, bisexual and transgender women have experienced a serious sexual assault when working.
Today, the TUC encouraged people to reply to marketing emails from companies and ask them what they are doing to support women in their workplaces.
General secretary Frances O’Grady said: “International Women’s Day is an opportunity to raise awareness of the inequalities faced by women and to demand change.
“If brands and corporations say they support equal pay, we want to see their gender pay gap action plan. If they claim to support working parents and carers, we want proof that they advertise all jobs as flexible.
“We cannot afford to be complacent about women’s equality.”
The union body’s toolkit, which includes a template email to reply to marketing emails as well as social media posts to encourage others to take action, can be downloaded here:
