Winning women’s votes

How can Labour maximise its potential vote when women are so poorly represented in the corridors of power of industry or government? When gender inequality shows no signs of structural improvement, what surprise can there be if women stay away from the ballot on May 7^th? Here we are, 39 years after the Sex Discrimination Act, still with a substantial pay deficit for women in similar work to men; with decision-making roles in employment dominated by men; with women’s issues being a delegated minority responsibility in government rather than embedded in all aspects of policy. It should not even be an issue.

Women are entering the workplace as never before but mostly in part-time, underpaid, privatised jobs, often forcibly self-employed, which keep them from entering the hierarchies which would improve their income. Nor, apparently, have Trade Unions been sufficiently energetic in penetrating these workplaces to make collective representation possible.

Not all women have children but this potential career interruption has made it possible, if not excusable, for employers to categorise women as more suited to flexible working and less likely to achieve higher office. Childcare arrangements make it impossible for those of either gender – but mostly women -  with parental responsibilities to enter full-time work, which might start them on the ladder towards greater fulfilment, earnings and eventual influence. Even where the work they do is of huge value to society, as in child- and elderly-care, this value is not converted into proper reward, recognition and career path. Their time is so little valued by those who employ them that Personal Assistants’ travel time is not remunerated in many instances.

Specific actions a Labour Government should take include: mandating the Living Wage including travel time; mandating female and workers’ representation on employer Boards; effective regulation of equal pay; and active, open support for Unions which tackle the needs of lower paid sectors such as adult care, childcare, hospitality, cleaning and retail.

The capitalism accepted by all main parties favours rewarding investors over workers; and GDP over well-being. Only a resetting of values leading to a new set of priorities will properly appreciate and reward the work mostly done by women, whether in the home or in another workplace. Then men and women may take equal childcare and earning burdens and both participate to the maximum of their potential in careers and even Government. Then women may be enabled and motivated to make different choices, including voting for the politicians who have made these possible.