Commenting on the report by Women and Equalities Commission, Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union in the UK, said:
“The latest report from the Women and Equalities Commission sadly reflects and confirms the issues and concerns the NASUWT has been raising with Government and employers about the treatment of women teachers for some time.
“The NASUWT’s extensive research has highlighted discriminatory, unfair and less favourable treatment of women teachers with regard to pay and promotion, particularly during pregnancy or following maternity leave.
“The stark reality highlighted by our research and casework evidence is that all too often when a woman teacher asks for flexible working she is told she has no right and when she is pregnant she is shown the door.
“A recent NASUWT study found that almost half of women teachers who had made a flexible working request had, had their request declined.
“The Union has example upon example of pregnant teachers being denied promotion, pay progression and even being asked to relinquish promoted posts they have worked hard to achieve.
“Over three quarters of the teaching profession are women and the level of inequality is simply unacceptable.
“However, none of this is surprising.
“The NASUWT has warned repeatedly, since 2011, that such poor practices would flourish if the Government continued to present equality and the rights of workers as unimportant and gave excessive freedoms, flexibilities and discretion over pay and conditions given to employers.
“The Government now has to act swiftly to clear up the mess it has created and I look forward to the new Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Education delivering on their promises to tackle inequality.”
ENDS
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