EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMISSION
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We are disappointed that only one in 11 10 employees in the transport industry are women and that nearly 75% of these are involved in clerical work.
Although it is heartening to see that attitudes are changing, we believe than an employer can only benefit from employing the best person for the job — regardless of their sex.
Employers should remember that the Sex Discrimination Act says that you cannot refuse to employ women just because a job involves physical strength or staimina. "People must be treated as individuals. Some women are strong enough to carry out heavy lifting work while some men are not. Cases have been won at Industrial Tribunals on this point.
We would reiterate this point made by one of your respondents: "If someone can do the job, then that's fine, it's up to the individual."
Neither is customer preference a lawful reason for refusing to employ one sex. For example, Dan Air was found guilty of sex discrimination for refusing to employ men cabin crew.
Lack of sanitary facilities is not always a reasonable excuse for refusing to employ women either. And it is certainly unlawful to suggest that women drivers should be paid less than men.
With 1992 almost upon us and the number of school leavers available for employment falling dramatically, some of your respondents are going to find themselves very much left behind in the race to recruit the best possible staff, if they refuse to consider 50% of the population just because of outdated prejudice. Many employers in traditionally male-dominated industries, such as engineering, are now actively encouraging women recruits and are reaping the benefits in terms of y a more-than-competent and highly motivated workforce.
FREIGHT TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION
There are obviously problems of
perception in the industry but, like any other industry, attitudes to women are changing. At school girls are not encouraged to follow a career in this industry so it's not all the industry's fault.
In the PTA we employ people on a qualification basis; we employ the best qualified applicants for the job. We don't have any female vehicle inspectors be cause we've never had an applicant, but we do have some female assistant regional secretaries and one female trainer for fork-truck drivers.
One of the things that comes out from the survey is that general assumptions are dangerous. If women require good clean toilet facilities, why shouldn't men expect the same.
The skills shortage in the industry will force it to accept women. We must encourage young women to consider road transport as a career because the industry can lose a lot by not employing the best people — the sex of the employee is incidental.