Dawn Laverick from Gateshead urged delegates to keep members informed of their rights around flexible working at the union’s women’s conference in Brighton this afternoon.
These rights are particularly vital to women who take on the majority of caring work at home, she said.
Delegates were applauded as they stood up and told their stories of care.
Emilia Davies spoke up. Her mum had struggled to help care for her grandma while she was dying from cancer.
She’d needed to leave work to get home for 4.30pm instead of 5pm and had an ongoing battle with her employer over the issue.
Her mum’s health had then deteriorated.
Mandy Humphrey described “the real challenges” she faced on a daily basis.
“My mum has dementia,” she explained, “and I have to fight every day to get understanding from my employer. I don’t want my mum to go into home.”
She urged delegates to support each other: “It’s really important.”
