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If you haven't already done so - please let us know if you are joining us for the Equality Rep dinner at EIS HQ in Edinburgh on the 10th February!

Our guests will be Professor Rowena Arshad, who will be speaking to us about the importance of the equality agenda to the trade union movement, and singer-songwriter Djana Gabrielle will be performing a set for us.

We look forward to seeing you there!

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Hi everyone! I hope you're all enjoying the course so far.

Please don't worry if you're feeling behind though, you can complete the learning pages at any time.

Here is a nice wee myth-busting video related to this week's topic.

Kind regards,
Selma

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Hello everyone, I'm very much looking forward to learning with you all. 

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Hello everyone, I'm very much looking forward to learning with you all. 

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings

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3a. Reasonable adjustments and long-Covid

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3a. Reasonable adjustments and long-Covid

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5a. Mobilising for anti-racism at work and in education

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5a. Mobilising for anti-racism at work and in education

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings

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3a. Reasonable adjustments and long-Covid

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3a. Reasonable adjustments and long-Covid

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5a. Mobilising for anti-racism at work and in education

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5a. Mobilising for anti-racism at work and in education

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings

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3a. Reasonable adjustments and long-Covid

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3a. Reasonable adjustments and long-Covid

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5a. Mobilising for anti-racism at work and in education

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5a. Mobilising for anti-racism at work and in education

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings

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3a. Reasonable adjustments and long-Covid

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3a. Reasonable adjustments and long-Covid

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5a. Mobilising for anti-racism at work and in education

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5a. Mobilising for anti-racism at work and in education

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The rather intense poster is from See Red Women's Workshop (70s and 80s), fitting with the theme of Week 1!

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Welcome to your learning log for 'Taking Fair Work Forward'.

Each week, you can add a comment under the relevant topic that you have completed in the course, and write further reflections by pressing the + under your name.

Please make sure also that you leave a comment on your colleagues contributions.

I will occasionally be posting things of interest under this column, so keep an eye out.

If you have any questions or reflections for my attention, you can comment on this post or add another post under this column also.

Looking forward to seeing most of you at the February dinner to celebrate all your hard work!

Kind regards,
Selma Augestad, National Officer, Equality

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3 things to change in workplace policy:

1- easy accessible flexible working
2- improved child care facilities for workers
3- creating workplaces which promote effective work / life balances

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings

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3a. Reasonable adjustments and long-Covid

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3a. Reasonable adjustments and long-Covid

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5a. Mobilising for anti-racism at work and in education

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5a. Mobilising for anti-racism at work and in education

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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Response to reflection Qs
Milestones different for M/W: Puberty, Relationships (eg. M still expected to ask W in an engagement), Religious milestones such as Catholic First Communion (traditionally - boys in suits and girls in mini wedding dresses)

Graduate professions associated with M/W: Teaching (W and lower paid than comparable professions); Medics (More doctors M and more nurses W - similar working environment and separate, but equal, streams of expertise but docs better paid while nurses associated more with the 'caring' side of treatment. Speech & Language therapists majority women - possibly because more likely to work with children?

Changes to mitigate against gender imbalance in unpaid care: More should be done to encourage men to take a more active role in caring responsibilities to redress balance. To mitigate the effects of the imbalance, free childcare should be provided from the end of maternity leave; simpler mat leave arrangements (full pay and contributions for longer); focused support with professional development and applying for promotion opportunities for those returning form parental leave (would a 'double tick' style thing work for job apps guaranteeing those who are qualified will be interviewed if, eg. within a year of their return from long parental leave?)

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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Reflective Question 1 - key milestones.
I mainly thought about how fortunate I am to have been born in Scotland. We all know about selective abortion of female fetuses and femicide, about the abandonment of female babies in certain countries in the world. My parents did not favour having a boy (I was also the first born of my siblings). I was able to attend school, whereas many girls are not given that opportunity, or they are forbidden to attend during the week of their period.
I do recall my mother being more concerned during my teenage years than she was my brother. For example, he was allowed to stay overnight with a girl he has been seeing for a very short while, whereas I was not allowed to stay overnight with my boyfriend of 6 months. When I asked why I was told.... "well he can't get pregnant".
When I became a parent I lost earnings towards my pension contributions and had to reduce my hours to care for my children. My (ex) husband chose not to do the same. And now that we are divorced, I am the primary care giver (as my job allows me to be home for my children - perhaps one of the reasons that women are over represented in education).
There is a disproportionate number of men in promoted posts in education, even though it is a female dominated job, especially as you move from early years to further education. I do think that retirement ages should be made equal though, especially as men have a lower life expectancy on average.

Reflective Question 2 - Graduate Professions by gender.
I actually researched this a little and found that the top three professions dominated by women are 1. Health and Social Work, 2. Education, and 3. Administration.
The top 3 professions dominated by men (that I found) are 1. Accountancy, 2. Investment Banking and 3. Engineering.
Women are still primarily engaged in working in caring professions and men in STEM. Caring professions are still considered to be 'women's work' and as such are less valued and lower paid. Professions involving maths, sciences are still valued more highly, especially as they often generate wealth. Recent example, Rishi Sunak suggesting that all children study maths until they are 18. Very little importance is given over to the arts or caring professions (especially in this country).

Reflective Question 3 - 3 things to mitigate against impact of unpaid work.
1 - better paid and longer maternity/parental leave.
2 - child care facilities in every workplace
3 - improved flexible working practices to allow easier access to work.

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1a. Gender Pay Justice and the #PayAttention Campaign

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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1b. Developing free graphics using Canva

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I think that there is still lot to do in terms of supporting Autistic members in the workplace. I my school there has been a lot of work done to promote dyslexia awareness and several staff have spoken openly about their diagnosis to pupils and other teachers alike. We are currently in the process of becoming an ADHD Friendly School, but the emphasis is again on pupils. Staff never seem to be mentioned. Autism Awareness is not promoted as much as I would like it to be and that will be my next area of development. I have spoken to staff who have not been diagnosed with ASD, but who feel that because of their age that they would have been missed out. These staff members have spoken to me about the difficulties that they experience in the workplace and how draining and upsetting it can be if they are not supported appropriately or feel that other staff understand them.
On a positive note neurodivergent staff that I have spoken to have said that they would be happy to talk to pupils about their lived experiences and successes to show that having a diagnosis is not a bad thing and that there are so many positive to being neurodivergent.

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings

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2b. Using MentiMeter to gather anonymous data in online meetings