Quote:
|
You obviously haven't worked for the company I do.
|
Maybe so. Perhaps discrimination is the wrong word to use, but with longer and longer hours being worked in the UK and a culture in which people are subject to "comment" if they leave work on time, it gets very difficult for women (and it is usually women, although to issues apply to both parents) to look after children (especially when schools kick them out at 15:30) and keep a career going.
What was being proposed is flexible working and annualised contracts - basically you get paid for what you work. Home working is also offering some a degree of flexibility. I think he parhaps should have addressed the underlying problem in his statement which is work/life balance but it is true that there are some neanderthal empoyers around who don't recognise this as a problem and don't see why they should help staff to work as best as they can. Its more of an issue in London where staff are more valued as there aren't enough to go round. Certainly when I worked in Scotland staff were treated with less regard so its an extension of a bigger issue.