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Cherie Blair

against women

discrimination

LONDON: British Prime Minister Tony Blair's wife Cherie, one of the country's leading employment lawyers, spoke out on Monday against an "intolerable" culture of discrimination against women in the workplace.

In a speech to fellow lawyers, she called for changes both in the law, to tackle sex discrimination, and among employers, to promote "family-friendly" policies.

And in a humourous hint to her husband, Cherie Blair, who is expecting her fourth child in May, commended the practice of new fathers taking paternity leave.

She said inflexible working hours and holiday arrangements, the long-hours culture and an unsympathetic attitude toward career breaks combined to result in a work environment which discriminated against women with families.

"This means women are not on an equal footing in the workforce, and what is more the situation is compounded by the fact the legal system has not developed quickly enough to deal effectively with this type of discrimination".

She urged employers to introduce family-based policies such as flexible hours, job-sharing and child-care facilities.ÑAFP