Women's Views on News |
| Increasing number of women working nights Posted: 02 Nov 2016 01:44 PM PDT
New analysis published by the TUC shows that the number of people who work night shifts increased by 275,000 – 9 per cent – between 2011 and 2016 to 3,135,000. Britain's large army of night-workers now accounts for one in eight employees – or twelve per cent. And women are fuelling the growth in night work. It used to be that most night-workers were men working in manufacturing plants but this has changed drastically. In 2016 one in seven male employees – 14 per cent – are night-workers, compared to one in 11 – 9 per cent – of female employees. And women account for more than two-thirds – 69 per cent – of the growth in night-working over the past five years. Between 2011 and 2016 the number of women regularly doing night work increased by 190,000, while for men it increased by 86,000. And there is a clear gender split in the kind of jobs male and female night-workers do. The two most common professions for female night-workers are care work and nursing. The number of women doing night shifts in these professions increased by 15 per cent and 4 per cent respectively over the past five years. Male night workers are most likely to work in 'protective service occupations' such as the military, security or policing and road transport. However, the number of men doing night shifts in these professions fell by 26 per cent and 12 per cent respectively over the past five years. Night workers can be as young as 16 – more than 80,000 workers aged 16-20 regularly work nights. And there are nearly 150,000 people still working night shifts in their sixties. But the age group with the highest proportion of night-workers is the 45-49 year-olds. They account for one in 8 of those who usually work nights. The most common age group for women night-workers is 25–29. Male night-workers are most likely to be aged between 45 and 49. London has seen the largest growth in night-workers over the past five years – with an additional 98,000, followed by the South West – on 50,000 more and Wales with 40,000 more. The TUC says the introduction of the Night Tube in London and proposals for a seven-day NHS are likely to lead to further increases in night work in coming years. However, of all parts of the UK night-working has increased fastest in Northern Ireland where it is up 58 per cent, followed by London, up 30 per cent and Wales, up 29 per cent. The negative health impacts of night work, such as heightened risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and depression are already well-documented. The TUC published an in-depth report on night work patterns in 2015. Among the report's various recommendations is a call for UK employers to meet their legal obligations to provide night workers with free health assessments. Education about what types of foods to eat and when is also important in light of medical research that indicates night workers are not only naturally drawn to high-fat foods but may be looking for something to eat when most outlets with a good range of nutritious foods are closed. And very little attention has been given to the impacts of shift or night-working on home life and relationships. The TUC does not oppose night-working, but argues that employers must properly consider and address its impact on staff. To determine fairness and safety for night-workers the TUC recommends that: Employers and unions should ensure that night-working is only introduced where necessary; Where night working is introduced into a workplace, no existing workers should be forced to work nights; Shift patterns should be negotiated between unions and employers; Workers should have some element of control over their rotas, so that they can ensure that the shifts they work are best suited to their individual circumstances; Workers should always have sufficient notice of their shift patterns so they can make arrangements well in advance. Changes at short notice should be avoided; and The remuneration paid to those working nights should properly reflect the likely additional costs of childcare and inconvenience that night shifts can entail. Commenting on the analysis, the TUC's General Secretary, Frances O'Grady, said: "Night work is hard and can disrupt family life. "Employers must play fair and play safe, or public safety will be put at risk and the families of night workers will suffer."  |
| Call for inquest into brother’s death Posted: 02 Nov 2016 01:22 PM PDT
Lawyers acting on behalf of the sister of a 59 year-old ex-soldier who died in 2013 after he was 'sanctioned' by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) are calling for an inquest into his death. In submissions to the Hertfordshire Coroner sent on 28 October 2016, law firm Leigh Day have argued that a fresh investigation should be opened into the death of David Clapson, from Stevenage, on the basis that he died an unnatural death due to the imposition and effects of the benefit sanction imposed on him shortly before and in force at the time of his death. The submissions from the human rights team at Leigh Day set out that the benefit sanction arguably played a contributing or causative factor in the death of David Clapson and that therefore an Inquest must be held. Previously a Coroner had denied further investigation and an Inquest on the basis that the death was due to natural causes. The law firm, which is representing David Clapson's sister Gill Thompson, also argue that there is a strong public interest in conducting a fresh investigation into the death of David Clapson to ensure that the full circumstances are publicly investigated, relevant systems are scrutinised and lessons are learnt. Public interest in the issue of the DWP and the benefits system as a whole has been heightened by the release of the critically acclaimed film I, Daniel Blake, which looks at the bureaucracy at the heart of the benefits system. In the submissions to the Coroner, lawyers contend: "The role played by the imposition of a benefit sanction in Mr Clapson's death, the systems in place to manage the risks posed by benefit sanctions to those who receive them, and the decision-making of DWP staff when imposing benefit sanctions on vulnerable and at-risk individuals, are of wider public importance and are matters of significant public concern. "These matters have been considered in a number of reviews and reports, which support Ms Thompson's submissions on the strong public interest in this case." David Clapson was a Lance Corporal in the Royal Signals, serving in Belfast at the height of The Troubles before leaving the army to work for BT. After working for the telecommunications firm for 16 years and a further 8 years for other companies he then became a carer for his sick mother. According to his sister, David Clapson was a proud and private man who found asking for help very difficult. He also suffered Type 1 Diabetes and relied on regular insulin shots to survive. David Clapson died in July 2013 from fatal diabetic ketoacidosis which occurs when a severe lack of insulin means the body cannot use glucose for energy, and the body starts to break down other body tissue as an alternative energy source. The Department for Work and Pensions had sanctioned him for a month, leaving him unable to afford to top up his electricity key and unable to afford food having stopped his £71.70 Job Seekers Allowance after he failed to attend two appointments. In a letter to David Clapson's MP, the DWP stated they were "aware Mr Clapson was insulin dependent". With no money for his electricity meter, his family claim he would have been unable to chill his insulin in the height of summer. He also was found to have no food in his stomach when he died. In 2014 Gill Thompson started a petition with Change.org which gained over 200,000 signatures which helped to secure a Parliamentary Select Committee Inquiry in March 2015, which came up with 26 recommendations. However, the government rejected the Select Committee recommendation that the number of peer reviews into deaths of persons subject to a sanction be made public. The government also rejected Gill Thompson's calls for an Independent Review into David Clapson's death and the deaths of others in similar circumstances and of an independent body to conduct more reviews into the deaths of those in receipt of 'working-age' benefits. You can read the government’s response here. Merry Varney, from the law firm Leigh Day who is representing Gill Thompson in her fight for an inquest into her brother's death, said: "We hope that these submissions will show the Coroner that there is a reason to suspect that David died an unnatural death and that an investigation should be opened with a view to holding a full Inquest into the circumstances of David's death. "Inquests and Coronial Investigations play a fundamental role in ensuring preventable or avoidable deaths are identified and that steps are taken to prevent another tragedy. "The United Nations recently expressed their concern at the absence of due process and access to justice in the UK for those affected by the use of sanctions by the DWP and an Inquest into David's death would be at least an initial step towards addressing these grave concerns." Gill Thompson said: "Although this cannot change things for David, I will continue the campaign to help prevent further deaths and suffering on the vulnerable and sick in our society by the use of unjust sanctions. "I would like to thank everyone for their overwhelming support throughout this campaign, and wonderful and heartfelt words of comfort, without this support we could not hope to make these changes."  |
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