The union for equality

The full text of the motion is included below)

Community welcomes the opportunity to second this motion.

This motion is about working parents and families. When the Labour Government came to power they more than doubled the amount of statutory maternity pay. But it still stands at just £117.00 a week.

£117.00 – it’s not a lot to get by on when your life is transformed by the birth of a child.

Too many working parents are trapped in a cycle of poverty.

The increase in statutory maternity pay was one of the many measures aimed at alleviating Child Poverty. To date 600,000 children have been lifted out of poverty.

But although great inroads have been made, we’re too close to missing the target.

Too many families are forced to choose between spending time with their newborn child or returning to work. And the high cost of childcare adds to those pressures.

Too many families are penalised by the system of calculating maternity pay. Why should a woman lose out on maternity pay if she’s been off sick?

Why should a woman lose out on maternity pay because she’s taken unpaid parental leave?

Why should a woman be penalised if she wants to take maternity leave for longer than six months, because it’s not guaranteed that she will return to the same job.

This is what happens under the current system.

At the recent Labour Party National Policy Forum in Warwick, unions got a commitment from government that no parent would suffer detriment as a result of taking parental leave.

This motion, with your support, can help ensure that the government is held to that commitment.

Congress, we must support all steps that are taken towards ending child poverty.

This is one step. Support the motion.

Thank you

Motion 18 - Improving Maternity Pay

Congress welcomes the Government's continued support for pregnant women and working parents.

The introduction and extension of statutory rights for new parents has given trade unions a platform from which to negotiate improvements with employers.

Congress believes there continues to be an urgent case for more union, employer and government action to ensure women on maternity leave, and returning to work from maternity leave, are better protected and supported.

Congress recognises that:

i) the flat rate of Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is still too low;

ii) too many women are missing out on SMP because of the way in which entitlement is calculated. SMP is based on average earnings during a very specific eight-week period and not on contractual salary. This means women fail to qualify or qualify for a reduced amount where they have been off sick or taken unpaid or parental leave; and

iii) women who take up their entitlement to Additional Maternity Leave have a less robust right to return to the same job as those who return at the end of Ordinary Maternity Leave.

Congress resolves to:

a) support affiliates in negotiating improvements to company pay and leave policies for new parents;

b) assist affiliates to make the case to the Government for improvements to maternity pay and leave regulations to ensure pregnant women and new mothers are better supported; and

c) circulate examples of best practice where unions and employers have agreed improvements to maternity, paternity and adoption pay and leave for working parents.