A
report has called on the Government, employers and unions to take better care
of older women in the UK workforce, following damning findings from the latest
research.
According to research by the TUC and the
Pennell Initiative for women’s health, the health and safety of older women in
the UK workforce is being ignored by employers and women’s concerns are not
being taken seriously.
The
study finds that older women tend to work longer hours, have lower status jobs
and are at a higher risk of developing workplace injuries such as bad backs.
The
report calls on employers to control the risks better and listen to older
workers, while unions should be encouraging more women over 45 to become safety
reps.
The
report also wants the Government to promote the economic contribution that
older workers make and says more research should be done to ascertain the
difference in treatments between older female staff and other workers.
Professor
Lesley Doyal, Author of the report and professor of health and social care at
the University of Bristol, said: "Twelve million women in the UK are aged
45 and over. Many of these women will spend longer in paid employment, as they
are likely to live longer than ever before. They will make a significant
contribution to the economy yet there is little interest in the implications of
these trends for their health."
