Women in Work: A rundown on the manifestos

As 4th July fast approaches, all eyes are on the party policies that matter for women. From healthcare and education to employment and childcare, the alignment or divergence of these policies will have profound effects on the progress towards gender equality.

In a recent Women in Work (WiW) audience survey, we asked participants about their priorities when voting for the next government. The results were interesting. Our audience identified economic security and employment rights as the most important factors, closely followed by flexible working and work-life balance (24%) and healthcare and mental health support (24%).

As manifestos are unveiled, we’ll be taking a closer look at how each party's proposals address these key issues that impact women in the workplace every day.?

Flexibility and Work-life Balance

Women continue to juggle work and family responsibilities, and the demand for flexible working arrangements has never been higher. Policies that support remote working, flexible hours, and extended parental leave are crucial.

The Conservatives support policies that promote flexible working arrangements and a better work-life balance through employer-led initiatives.?

Labour emphasises the right to flexible working hours and remote options to support better work-life balance for families. They aim to legislate the right to flexible working from day one on a job.?

The Liberal Democrats support policies that promote flexible working arrangements, including the right to request flexible hours and remote working options. They aim to enhance work-life balance for all, particularly parents and caregivers.

92% of the respondents said flexible working was an important part of their decision.

Childcare and Early Education

Access to affordable, high-quality child care is essential for working mothers. Governments that invest in subsidised childcare and early education programmes can significantly ease the burden on families.

The Conservatives announced in 2023 the “biggest ever expansion of childcare,” which would eventually offer 30 free hours for all parents from the end of maternity leave until their child starts school. From April 2024, working parents of two-year-olds can access 15 hours of free care, which could be extended to all children aged nine months and older from September 2024. The full package of 30 hours of free childcare for every child aged between nine months and five years would not become available until September 2025.

The Labour Party pledged to open up 100,000 new childcare places by converting over 3,000 unused school classrooms into nurseries. The party also promised to provide free breakfast clubs in every primary school in England, which it claims will "drive up attendance" and help working parents, while also saving families around ￡400 a year per child. Labour has also stated that it will support the Conservatives' free childcare pledge announced in the 2023 Budget.

The Liberal Democrats proposed significant investment in early years education and childcare, including increasing free early education hours for all children from the age of two and providing more support for childcare costs.

83% of the respondents stated that increased investment in childcare and early education would influence their vote. This will have a significant impact on the vote of parents with young children on 4th July.

Healthcare and Support

Comprehensive healthcare policies that include mental health services, women's health, and support for caregivers are vital. Addressing these needs can improve overall well-being and reduce healthcare disparities.

The Conservatives are prioritising increasing NHS funding “accelerating the NHS’s recovery from the pandemic” and improving mental health support. They aim to integrate mental and physical health services and provide more support teams for mental health in schools.

Labour pledges to “build an NHS fit for the future” by increasing funding for the NHS and focusing on mental health services and social care. They aim to modernise mental health legislation and ensure mental health support is available in schools and workplaces.

The Liberal Democrats prioritise mental health services and aim to achieve equality between mental and physical health with a focus on reducing wait times and ensuring people can access the help they need. They advocate for improved access to psychological therapies and support for caregivers.?

According to those surveyed, 96% of respondents said that healthcare, including mental health services, was significant in their voting decision.??

Economic Security and Employment Rights

Ensuring fair wages, closing the gender pay gap, and providing job security are critical issues. Policies that support economic stability and protect workers' rights can make a substantial difference.

The Conservatives aim to create jobs and promote economic growth by reducing taxes and regulations. They support a higher minimum wage and transparency measures to close the gender pay gap.

Labour aims to tackle the gender pay gap, promoting equal pay for equal work, and strengthen workers' rights by banning zero-hour contracts and increasing the minimum wage.

The Liberal Democrats pledge to promote fair pay and workers' rights, including measures to close the gender pay gap and ensure equal pay. They aim to create a fairer economy that benefits all.

100% surveyed said economic security, such as fair wages and job protection, played a role in their voting choice - this is no surprise given the data that it will take in excess of 20 years to close the pay gap if we keep moving at the current rate.

Education and Skills Development

Lifelong learning opportunities, access to quality education, and promoting STEM fields for women are essential for career advancement and economic independence.

The Conservatives are focused on raising education standards, including curriculum reforms and increasing funding per pupil. They also promote apprenticeships and vocational education as pathways to skills development.

Labour advocates for free education for all, from early years to adult education, with a “modern curriculum so young people are ready for work and life”.? Labour proposes measures to reduce class sizes, increase teacher pay, and also aims to prioritise STEM education and vocational training.

The Liberal Democrats believe that “education is the best investment we can make in our children’s potential and our country’s future,” aiming to ensure that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential. The Liberal Democrats support initiatives to promote STEM subjects and lifelong learning.

Support for Caregivers

Providing financial assistance, respite care, and improved elder care services can support the many women who balance work with caregiving responsibilities.

The Conservatives propose measures to support caregivers, including enhanced support for carers' leave and improved access to respite care services.

Labour proposes increased funding for care services, including respite care, and pledges to support unpaid caregivers with better financial assistance and workplace rights.

The Liberal Democrats propose enhanced caregiver support, including better access to respite care and financial assistance. They recognise the importance of supporting those who balance work with caring responsibilities.

89% of the respondents said that support measures for caregivers impacted their voting decisions.

With the polls suggesting a Labour victory, how would this affect employment law??

We caught up with Lucy Lewis, partner in the Lewis Silkin Employment team and the firm’s Strategy Board member. She is also a lead for DE&I and was closely involved with the launch of their parental leave policy.

Lucy shared her thoughts on how employment law would change under a Labour government.?

“The Labour Party has promised to make its “New Deal for Working People” a core part of its plan, and an Employment Bill has been reported to be drafted. Labour has said it will begin the legislative process in the first 100 days (although that could just mean a white paper).? A lot of the headlines have been about “day one” employment rights, with a focus on removing the qualifying service for unfair dismissal.? This would be a significant change and although dismissal during a probationary period will be allowed, we assume some process will be required.??

Perhaps the thing most overdue is a review of the parental leave system. The complexity of the Shared Parental Leave scheme has resulted in take-up being low and many employers stepping-in with their own arrangements.? Labour has promised a review within the first year of government, but it is disappointing that there are no radical reform proposals currently on the table.? Labour has also said that would make ‘parental leave’ a day one right. It’s unclear if this means parental leave specifically or any kind of right for parents to take family leave. For example, paternity leave currently requires six month’s employment, and it seems highly likely that Labour would scrap this.?

The biggest apparent change would be preventing the dismissal of those returning from maternity leave except in specific circumstances.? As with much of the “New Deal”, it raises more questions than it answers and without the definition of allowable dismissals it is hard to know how much of a change (and genuine protection) this would be.??

There is also a doubling-down on pay reporting to address gender, race and disability equality with additional reporting obligations for employers with more than 250 employers.? There is some scepticism about whether that is the right focus given the very modest reductions in the gender pay gap and some of the data challenges around external reporting on race and disability (given the size of groups and incomplete data).

The Labour Party intend to toughen the new proactive duty to take ‘reasonable steps’ to protect employees from sexual harassment (coming into force in October 2024) by raising the bar to require employers to take ‘all reasonable steps’ to stop sexual harassment (including harassment by customers and third parties) and by always treating reports of harassment as whistleblowing.

Finally, the Labour party will bring in the ‘right to switch off’, giving workers and employers the opportunity to develop workplace policies or contractual terms. Details are unclear and we know many employees don’t want to lose the flexibility to work around family and personal commitments and would resist a rigid approach.

This is just a small selection of the Labour proposals.? To find out more about the employment related proposals of all the parties, you can follow our tracker here.”

Whoever is leading from 4th July, it’s clear that there is much to be done to support women at work to close the yawning gaps that are still so apparent in pay, parental leave and of course, health.?

We look forward to welcoming MP’s from the newly elected government to the Women in Work Summit this September where we will ask how and when they will be making changes to really start moving the dial for women. After all; good for women, good for business, morally right, economically essential.

To join the conversation, join us at this year’s Women in Work Summit on 26th September at Kings Place. Find out more at www.wiwsummit.com?