Amid all the brouhaha of reporting over new equality head Nicola Brewer's remarks on maternity rights and flexible working last week, a few things were overlooked.
Firstly, Brewer, head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission did not argue against flexible working or maternity rights.
She argued that men needed to have more rights so that the burden could be shared more equally. She said: "No-one is suggesting that women should not have the rights they have to maternity leave, what we are saying is that dads need a slice of the action too. The present unequal sharing of caring has created generations of “Salt and Pepper dads”. I mean fathers who are seen as good “seasoning” for a family but not essential for parenting."
The press instead chose to draw parallels with Sir Alan Sugar, who has supposedly said that some bosses throw women of child-bearing years' cvs in the bin for fear of the costs and bother associated with covering their maternity leave.
Consultation
The press also made little mention of the reason for Brewer's comments. She was launching a major consultation with parents' groups about flexible working and how working patterns might change to support working parents, male and female. The consultation, Working Better, will result in a report which should be released in the new year.
Duncan Fisher of Dad.Info, one of the organisations taking part in the consultation, said: "We have this idea that mothers and fathers freely choose their roles. They don’t. 80% of mothers earn less than their partners, part-time work is badly paid and only full-time work creates enough security for most families, there is no affordable leave for fathers.
"All this means it is a lot cheaper for families if dad works all the time and mum does all the caring. This is not what most families want for their children.
"If families could afford for dads to take time off for childcare, most would choose this, as in every other country that has acted to change the economics."
Brewer added: "We are taking up that baton, to make a new argument fit for a modern world where caring is shared and work fits into life." Read Nicola Brewer's speech in full
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