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NEWS

Age immaterial

The TUC has produced a study into the experiences of women over 50 in the workplace.

Many of the findings echo the research the NASUWT has carried out into the experiences of older women teachers.

The TUC study found that:

• urgent changes are needed in employers’ attitudes and practices to ensure that women over 50 get a fair deal at work;

• many workers over 50 are vulnerable workers and many will be agency workers;

• women in their 50s generally earn a fifth less than men of the same age – the widest gender pay gap of any group;

• older women workers are less likely to have access to training;

• a significant cause of stress and psychological symptoms for older women is the menopause and occupational work provision is generally inadequate;

• age discrimination, combined with sex discrimination, is still attitudinally prevalent.

These findings are consistent with the findings of surveys conducted by the NASUWT where older women teachers highlight being subject to more classroom observation than younger colleagues and frequently threatened with capability procedures to seek to force them out of their jobs because they are ‘more expensive’ than younger teachers.

The TUC Report can be found on www.nasuwt.org.uk/Women.

read more www.nasuwt.org.uk/AgeDiscrimination

HSE report highlights asbestos management concerns

In June the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published a Report on its investigations into asbestos management in 153 academies.

In nearly a third of these schools, the HSE either issued written advice or served an improvement notice regarding deficiencies in asbestos management.

The Report clearly indicates that pupils and staff are being put at risk as a consequence of the failure of some academy schools to put in place mechanisms to ensure compliance with important legislation. The Coalition’s extensive freedoms and flexibilities conferred on schools have fragmented the system and led to a situation where important statutory and good- practice provisions are being flouted.

This is compounded by the absence of a coherent national government strategy for the removal of asbestos from schools.

The NASUWT General Secretary has written to the HSE asking for further investigations into the HASAW provisions in academies.

read more www.nasuwt.org.uk/AsbestosManagement