Equality reps are a union priority

Unions have made considerable progress mainstreaming equal pay and incorporating flexible working into their bargaining priorities, a Wales TUC report has concluded. The report, commissioned by the union body's 'Equal at Work' project and undertaken by the Bevan Foundation, goes on to say that unions and employers should prioritise equality reps, who it says have the potential to make a major contribution to achieving equality in the workplace. The report calls for improvements in joint working, particularly between trade unions and equality bodies including the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Chair of the Wales TUC's equality committee, Andrea Jones, commented: 'This report is the first and only research of its type undertaken specifically for trade unions in Wales and could not have come at a more crucial time for equalities in Wales. Its value in providing solid evidence to support us when working in partnership with employers, government and stakeholders, should not be underestimated.' She added: 'The findings and recommendations set out our priorities and provide a clear direction for the union movement, in continuing to improve the lives and conditions for workers in Wales and create more equal workplaces.'

http://www.equalatwork.org/publications/research/