Looking Back On Labour
Labour's annual conference was the usual mix of spin and knockabout politics - but for anyone with an interest in equality issues and equal pay - it was simply embarassing.
First we had the sight of Sarah Brown, the Prime Minister's wife, 'introducing' him to the platform for the second year running with a bizarre message: 'Vote for Gordon - because I love him'.
If Denis Thatcher had performed the same image-softening service for his one-time 'Iron Lady' - the press and media would have fallen about laughing - and rightly so.
But in Brighton no one batted an eyelid about the blatant sexism of a desperate Labour leader using his better half as a political prop.
Worse followed later in the week when Deputy Leader - Harriet Harman announced that a new Equalities Act would be introduced - if Labour wins the election in 2010.
Don't hold your breath - but the proposed new legislation will (allegedly) force employers to publish details of how male and female jobs are paid - the idea being that a climate of openness and transparency (on pay) will help to close the gender pay gap.
Someone should tell Harriet that this was exactly what the 1997 (UK) Single Status Agreement was all about - 12 long years ago.
The aim in 1997 was to reward women properly for the skills and responsibilities of their jobs - and to put an end to widesrpead pay discrimination among millions of local council workers across the UK.
Maybe her husband, Jack Dromey, could 'introduce' his wife to the idea - since he was part of those negotiations as a national official of the TGWU (now Unite) at the time.
The point is that the 1997 Single Status Agreement was struck by a Labour dominated employers' association - and by Labour supporting trade unions: GMB, TGWU and Unison.
Council budgets across the UK then doubled over the next 10 years - so money and resources were not the problem - but women workers were resolutely kept in the dark about the pay gap between traditional male jobs - by Labour controlled councils and Labour supporting unions.
But even with all that extra money the Labour party's influence and dominance among the council employers and the unions counted for nothing - because they all failed to deliver on their promises.
Achieving equal pay in the public services could and should have been a key priority for the past 12 years - especially with a majority Labour government in power.
Yet this week there was not a single word of criticism - or honest reflection even - about Labour's failure to stand up for low paid women workers - not from the party leadership and not from the unions.
No one had the courage to speak the uncomfortable truth - and against that background - a new Labour-inspired Equalities Act just seems like so much empty rhetoric.
First we had the sight of Sarah Brown, the Prime Minister's wife, 'introducing' him to the platform for the second year running with a bizarre message: 'Vote for Gordon - because I love him'.
If Denis Thatcher had performed the same image-softening service for his one-time 'Iron Lady' - the press and media would have fallen about laughing - and rightly so.
But in Brighton no one batted an eyelid about the blatant sexism of a desperate Labour leader using his better half as a political prop.
Worse followed later in the week when Deputy Leader - Harriet Harman announced that a new Equalities Act would be introduced - if Labour wins the election in 2010.
Don't hold your breath - but the proposed new legislation will (allegedly) force employers to publish details of how male and female jobs are paid - the idea being that a climate of openness and transparency (on pay) will help to close the gender pay gap.
Someone should tell Harriet that this was exactly what the 1997 (UK) Single Status Agreement was all about - 12 long years ago.
The aim in 1997 was to reward women properly for the skills and responsibilities of their jobs - and to put an end to widesrpead pay discrimination among millions of local council workers across the UK.
Maybe her husband, Jack Dromey, could 'introduce' his wife to the idea - since he was part of those negotiations as a national official of the TGWU (now Unite) at the time.
The point is that the 1997 Single Status Agreement was struck by a Labour dominated employers' association - and by Labour supporting trade unions: GMB, TGWU and Unison.
Council budgets across the UK then doubled over the next 10 years - so money and resources were not the problem - but women workers were resolutely kept in the dark about the pay gap between traditional male jobs - by Labour controlled councils and Labour supporting unions.
But even with all that extra money the Labour party's influence and dominance among the council employers and the unions counted for nothing - because they all failed to deliver on their promises.
Achieving equal pay in the public services could and should have been a key priority for the past 12 years - especially with a majority Labour government in power.
Yet this week there was not a single word of criticism - or honest reflection even - about Labour's failure to stand up for low paid women workers - not from the party leadership and not from the unions.
No one had the courage to speak the uncomfortable truth - and against that background - a new Labour-inspired Equalities Act just seems like so much empty rhetoric.
