Women first to lose jobs?

Press, 14 March 1987, Page 9

Women first to lose jobs?

Women could be the first to lose jobs under the Government reorganisation schemes, says the new Human Rights Commissioner, Ms Rae Julian. Ms Julian, who took up her appointment in January, and has a special interest in womens’ rights, said the effect on women’s job opportunities in reorganisation should be closely monitored.

Ms Julian is based in Wellington, and was in Christchurch this week on a familiarisation tour. She said she had no proof that women would be discriminated against but “just wondered who they (the corporations) would choose to go.” “If it comes to a choice between a married man and a married women, I have a feeling the woman could be the one to go.” In a shrinking paid workforce, married women often tended to be the first to be made redundant. In jjjidition,

older women also found it hard to re-enter the workforce. Ms Julian said, however, that there was a "lot of good will from the top.” A positive effect of reorganisation had seen some women appointed to boards and managerial positions, but Ms -.Julian

said she was still concerned about what could happen to those “further down the scale.” If a women felt she had been discriminated against in being made redundant because of her marital status or sex, she could have her case investigated by the Human Rights Commission.

The commission’s emphasis on women was justified because more than two-thirds of the complaints received by the Human Rights Commission were from women, said Ms Julian. That did not mean the commission’s wider role would be neglected, she said.

Some jjositive steps for women had been taken in the public sector, especially with the establishment of the equal opportunities department, but the commission was concerned that there did not seem to be much progress in the private sector.

Ms Julian has ancestors in the Ngaiterangi and Ngati Whakaue tribes and has a strong interest in Maori women’s affairs, but as she had been raised, as “a pakeha” she did not want to “crash in” on what Maori women’s groups were already doing. “I would like to think the commission could support these groups if they needed the help.” Ms Julian was also interested in seeing women take “affirmative action” in gaining employment in non-traditional areas and “getting on” in the job once there. An increasingly important part of the commission’s role was to educate employers about the value of hiring women, and about the need to recognise the usefulness of some of the “life” experience gained by women who wanted to re-enter the workforce after raising children.