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Women with Precarious labour Netherlands. Content. Introduction Workgroup international solidarity Example projects focus gender aspects Specific problems Flex workers Women and part-time work W omen problem workplace & society in general
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Content • Introduction • Workgroup international solidarity • Example projects focus gender aspects • Specific problems • Flex workers • Women and part-time work • Women problem workplace & society in general • Strategies to improve position women & role of TU • Optimism
Introduction • Gesina Hoogsteen • Living: Amsterdam, Holland • Occupy: Chemical analyst At Albemarle Catalyst company • 28 years FNV trade union activist • Member of FNV workgroup Int. Solidarity
Workgroup international solidarity • Platform of activists • from all sections of FNV trade union. • Taking decisions to support world wide solidarity projects. • Fundraising by • 0.7% of the total contribution trade union members. • collective agreement (CAO) by negotiation between employer and unions. • Financial support by government.
Workgroup international solidarity • Criteria to judge the proposal projects: • Obtain trade union empowerment • Gender dimension • focus on participation women • equal treatment • Improve position of the workers. • International exchange and support between activists • Sustainability for self supporting
Projects focus gender aspects (1) • Organizing women network of independent trade union, Belarus
Projects focus gender aspects (2) • Empowerment women working in free trade zone's • Sri Lanka, • Indonesië • Mexico
Projects focus gender aspects (3) • Empowerment and organizational strengthening of women working in shrimp peelers industry, Morocco
Specific problems • Market economy in public sector extreme introduced • Dramatically increase of Flex workers • People with solid job are dismissed as to be return as flex worker. • Dismissed workers at age > 40 years don’t find decent work in relation of their skills.
Flex workers • Dramatically increase • 2007 20%, 2011 35% • Earn less (± 5% and even more) than colleagues permanent contract. • Continue threat in losing work • No prospect permanent contract • No equal working conditions for equal work like vacation rights, pensions view, job training
Women and part-time work • Women work part-time <32 hrs, more than men. • Employer image: women are less ambitious. • Research shows men and women are equally ambitious, but • Men are stronger than women focused on high salary, promotion and status • Also cultural change important: • More balanced division of tasks between men & women in the sphere of work & private life • Need to be widely supported and implemented.
Women problem workplace & society in general • Men want to give more time for their children, if the work allows. • For women works the other way around: they want work more as the reception and care for the children is properly regulated.
Women problem workplace & society in general • Neoliberal policy (free market economy) leads that women friendly rights degrade at accelerated tempo: • It fails when it comes to facilities necessary in order to combine work and family care. • Government cuts child care that leads to reduce in working hours of women. • The mother than chooses work shorter hours, instead of both parents.
Strategies to improve position women Cultural change: • Decision makers: In top positions of companies, profit & non profit still mainly white and man. • More balanced division of tasks between men & women in the sphere of work & private life
Strategies to improve position women & role of Trade Union • Trade Union issue Netherlands: • People think TU is conservative, only for grey men. • Not popular for young people to become a member. • Participation of women activists is low. • Increasingly difficult for activist to act and participate • Surprising development in cleaning sector. • Especially migrant women playing important role to demands attention for more wage and better working conditions.
Strategies to improve position women & role of Trade Union • Awareness for gender aspects • Training for women: empowerment & negotiating • Construction of permanent women network/workgroup/commission to be preferred. • Social dialogue with employee and government