The motion argues that employers are responsible for the health and wellbeing of their workers. Typically, menstruation is a predictable and regular occurrence, so it shouldn’t be compulsory for those experiencing it to have to ask for the support they need. Instead, it should be worked into cultures and working practices and managers should actively seek to support their menstruating workers in whatever manner they require.
Scottish PDA Regional Committee Member, Chand Kausar and Trainee Pharmacist, Firouzeh Hekmatpanah will be this year’s delegation representing the PDA at the conference and Chand will present the motion. The two-day conference is due to take place in Glasgow on 30 – 31 October.
Sadly, in the UK, 89% of workers still suffer anxiety or stress in the workplace due to their menstruation, while 25% of workers believe that having taken time off from work due to menstruation has impacted their career progression.
Based on these statistics, it’s clear that more needs to be done to protect the rights of people who menstruate. In the motion, the PDA asks Congress to ensure that employers in the UK are compelled to:
- Conduct a review of the facilities that they provide to workers who menstruate to ensure dignity can invariably be maintained.
- Provide period products as a matter of course in the same manner toilet paper would be supplied.
- People in positions of authority and those who manage workers should be trained to foster a better workplace culture that acknowledges and recognises the commonplace nature of menstruation and the needs it produces.
- All contracts should have mandated menstruation flexibility worked into them.
As well as presenting this motion, the PDA will also be supporting a number of other motions at the conference that will improve the working lives of working women in Scotland.
Learn more
- PDA BAME Network to attend 27th Annual STUC Black Workers’ Conference
- PDA trainee pharmacist members attend the STUC Youth Conference 2023
- PDA presents anti-racist motion at STUC Congress
- PDA members participate in the Annual Congress of the STUC
- PDA attends STUC Annual Congress
- PDA to present its first ever motion at STUC Annual Congress
- STUC welcomes the PDA Union to the Scottish trade union family
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- For more information about the PDA NAWP Network, click here.
- If you would like to get involved with the network and its activities, please email: nawp@the-pda.org
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