ICTU Statement
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions campaigns for and fully supports well-implemented work life balance options. These working arrangements, which facilitate workers to balance employment with other elements of their lives, are urgently demanded by union members in every sector and at all levels.
The Sustaining Progress Agreement and this website encourage management, unions and employees to come together to find out what the needs of the employees and the organisation are and then to identify how they can, in their particular enterprise, meet these needs to the mutual benefit of both company and employee. What is appropriate for one organisation may not work in another. The aim here is not to prescribe or even recommend one form of work-life balance workplace arrangement over another. It is also important to note that these policies need to be part of an organisational culture which values people for the work that they do, and not simply for the hours that they work.
There are many reasons behind the demand for work-life balance: long commuting distances; greater dispersion of extended families; the development of life-long learning for all; increased access to technology; demand from customers for longer opening hours; and in particular the enormous increase in the participation of women, particularly younger women, in the workforce. As Ireland moves towards the Lisbon target of 60% of women in the workforce by 2010, 75.6% of women aged 25-34 are currently in paid employment. This has enormous implications for parents and other carers, both men and women, and their employers.
The key practical steps in making a reality of the good ideas behind work-life balance are:
- Working jointly with management, staff and unions
- Consultation
- Piloting of agreed options
- Communication with all staff
- Monitoring and adaptation
Work-life balance improvements and options negotiated within the
workplace need to be supported at national level by strong legislation and by a
proper caring infrastructure which provides quality, affordable and accessible
child care and elder care for all who need it.
Work is an essential factor of human life from the perspective of quality of life and social integration. Workplaces that respect and recognise the diverse needs of workers, including their family responsibilities, will gain from the diversity of talents and skills that they will attract and retain within their workforce.
David Begg
General Secretary
