The Role of Women in Industry

The Role of Women in Industry was the topic discussed at the European Parliament in Brussels on June 5 at a public hearing organised by the EU Parliamentary Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality in co-operation with the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy.

In her presentation 'The Reconstitution of the Industrial sector and the Implications for Women', Clementina Marques Cardoso, research fellow, Faculty of Social Sciences and Law, focused on three factors: women's general position in employment, the current reconstruction of the industrial sector and the rise of female migration.

Highlights of the presentation included the precarious nature of jobs in the industrial sector, difficulty in accessing childcare services and health and safety related to work. The study dealt with the food and beverages sector (30 per cent of the labour force), where the use of chemicals is predominant and therefore the need of impact assessments of the quality of the jobs and disease related to work is urgent.

Dr Willy Buschak, deputy director, European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (EUROFOUND), presented a study on 'The Role of Women in Industry' highlighting segregation, both vertical and horizontal, the restructuring in industrial sectors with high female employment: commerce, financial services, health and social services, and gender equality in industrial relations: actions taken by social partners.

Silvia-Adriana Ticau, Member of the European Parliament, speaking on behalf of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, on the Union's industrial, research and energy policies and presented a study of women's representation in education, research, industry and entrepreneurship in the EU-25 (2006).

Other presentations were made by Catelene Passchier, secretary, European Trade Unions Confederation (ETUC), and Jeanne Schmitt, senior adviser in charge of industrial relations and equal opportunities, BusinessEurope (ex-UNICE).

Interventions were also made by Council Presidency Representative for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and the Family (Germany); the Commission's representative, the director for Equality between Women and Men; European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) Maltese representative Grace Attard and European Agency for Safety and Health at Workdirector Jukka Takala.

Copies of the documents can be obtained from the NCW Centre in Blata l-Bajda on request.

The following sites can also be accessed for more information: www.eurofound.europa.eu, www.adrianaticau.eu, http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/social_dialogue/docs/ir_report06_summary_en.pdf.