Time to Stop the Stigma !
At our Women’s Conference last September 2022, in the shadow of Slieve Donard – the highest of the Mourne mountains - a group of determined women vowed to remove the issue of menstruation and menopause in our workplaces from the shadows. In response to motions from Fórsa and NIPSA, delegate after delegate rose to the podium to speak about their experiences of reconciling work with the impact of periods and menopause on their lives. Their inputs were greeted with whoops and cheers as delegates recognised their own experiences in the words of their fellow delegates and appreciated their courage and candour in speaking up. The conference noted the stigma that continues to exist around these issues and all vowed to ensure that affiliate unions must do more to ensure that employers address issues around menstrual health and menopause.
Fórsa told the conference that recent surveys have shown that just 1% of employees have the protection of a menstrual health policy in their workplace and that over 96% of respondents favoured the introduction of a menstrual-friendly policy in their workplace. This research clearly showed that women would welcome measures like access to flexible work arrangements, improved training for supervisors and line managers, action to address deep-seated stigma, and practical improvements in toilet facilities, office fabrics, and temperature control for those who experience hot flushes or other menopausal symptoms.
This very much tallied with previous work by Congress in Northern Ireland which revealed that not only did women face real challenges in the workplace as a result of menopausal symptoms, but that often there was little or no support available to them.[i]
Fórsa research also found that over 70% of those who worked at home during the pandemic found that remote working improved their experience of menstruation. Better access to measures to alleviate issues with menstruation and menopause was cited as the main reason, while avoiding commuting when experiencing cramps, nausea and hot flushes was also positive
Recent years have seen the stigma associated with these issues begin to be challenged, not least through the work of the trade union movement:
- Work in the banking sector by FSU[ii] who have secured free sanitary products and 10 days paid menopause leave for their members;
- The health sector by INMO[iii] in response to reports they have received of highly experienced staff leaving the workforce often at the peak of their careers due to poorly managed menopausal health at work.
- In An Post where they have introduced a menopause support policy that acknowledges that employees may have challenges presented by menopause symptoms, are committed to providing a working environment that provides practical wellbeing supports and to discussing how best to do this with the CWU[iv];
- In Heineken, SIPTU activists are leading the way on the introduction of new Life Stage policies which seek to assist workers facing challenges which can impact on their working lives.[v]
- The Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) has been working on protections and supports for reproductive health for some time. They have secured leave for IVF and miscarriage and are committed to menstrual and menopausal workplace policies as part of the resolution passed in Congress
- Unite has had a workplace policy on menopause for 14 years and have secured supports in most of the sectors they represent
All have spoken about how helpful and informative the people at the Menstrual Hub have been in supporting this work[vi].
At the initiative of Fórsa, all of this work has been brought together under the banner of “Stop the Stigma”[vii] , a trade union campaign to raise awareness about period and menopause policies, and to give workers the resources they need to make their workplaces work for them. ‘Stop the Stigma’ recognises the importance of providing a supportive and inclusive work environment for all employees, including those who experience periods and menopause. This campaign aims to create a workplace culture that acknowledges and supports the unique challenges and needs that arise during these natural biological processes.
A major component of this campaign is about de-stigmatising attitudes toward menopause and periods. Being able to engage openly at work as well as having these policies means workers will be supported in their workplace and can limit the impact that poorly supported menstrual and menopausal symptoms can have on attendance and presenteeism.
As part of this, Fórsa has created a policy template for the use of all to adapt to their own organisation and sectors. The policy includes such elements such as leave days, flexible working, free sanitary products and many other supports.
The campaign also has informational flyers and posters for use in workplaces. This not only serves as an informational resource, but it aids in starting discussions in workplaces that might not yet have considered the development of such policies.
Trade unions have now begun to undertake advocacy and organising around these policies and are raising them through industrial relations fora with employers.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth have also reached out to the campaign and are planning to commission research on menstruation and menopause at work in order to inform govt. policy in the area and to create official guidance for employers on this matter.
It’s an exciting time for the campaign as we set about building a trade union network where we can collaborate together in order to ensure that employers take effective action and that Government act to create a suitable policy and legislative environment.
[i] https://www.ictuni.org/publications/menopause-guidance-employers-trade-union-reps-and-employees
[ii] https://www.fsunion.org/latest/menstrual-health/
[iii] https://publications.inmo.ie/view/990787938/22/
[iv] https://www.anpost.com/getmedia/fe542f82-6d31-43ea-9a26-dd5da1f98dda/Menopause-Support-Policy.pdf
[v] https://siptucommunicationsdepartment.newsweaver.ie/icfiles/1/21161/297830/7018410/e44feab07490b72c93d8f440/libertynewspaperjuly.pdf
[vi] https://www.themenopausehub.ie/?gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2eilBhCCARIsAG0Pf8sXG--RnsmBG4qsXFNt0oGAQVbMJWu9xC2NNEpV8d27y_Zw3JTKSZIaAvooEALw_wcB
[vii] https://www.forsa.ie/menstrual-menopause-policy/
