Somethings Never Change: Working Mums Will Bear The Brunt Of Lockdown
Image from Workin’ Moms, Netflix
If you’ve managed to decipher the latest message from the government regarding the relaxation of lockdown rules, first of all, well done. I’m still baffled but one thing seems to be clear (as mud): if you can work from home, do; if you can’t, go to work. Construction workers, those in manufacturing and scientific research are preparing to head back to the site, factory and lab respectively…but what about those they leave behind in lockdown? Yes, I’m talking about the women.
A study in October 2019 found that just 12.5% of those in the construction industry were female and a there’s currently a 60:40 ratio of men to women in the science industries. The new measures therefore mean that in the next few weeks men will be returning to the workplace at a disproportionate level compared to women. With the female employment rate reaching a record high of 72.4% in October-December 2019 - translating to 9.31 million women in full-time work, with 6.30 million working part-time, many of these will find themselves severely handicapped in their lockdown workplace i.e. home, due to childcare issues.
This would all feel slightly different if the relaxation of the lockdown rules felt like a more positive step than it is. If it felt like a measured and considered step, rather than an appeasement to big business desperate to get the coins ringing in the coffers again, then we’d all understand that sacrifices have to be made. Lord knows we’ve all made enough sacrifices recently, but that’s not how this feels. These amendments to the lockdown rules are simply a spineless effort by Boris Johnson to please everyone. Newsflash BoJo: the virus doesn’t give a shit.
When asked at yesterday’s press conference what those expected to go to work were expected to do with their children, BoJo simply mumbled something about employers ‘surely understanding’ if you can’t do it due to childcare. Great - so the onus is now on families to decide who’s work is more important. I’ve had that conversation on a personal level a number of times and let me tell you, it doesn’t go down very well. Sure, it’s an easier choice if there’s a clear distinction between earning capabilities but if you’re both on a similar wage level and both incomes are essential to the household economy and the man now has to go out to earn his money, well you guessed it: the women will be left expected to manage working from home and full-time childcare. It’s been hard enough for two working parents to keep their kids entertained and alive and manage full time jobs but for one person to do that? Well, good luck.
It will inevitably impact working mums on a hugely negative scale in terms of mental health and career progression and the pill will taste all the more bitter after weeks of families ‘all being in it together’. Lockdown has doubtless taken its toll on families in many ways, but many have taken the chance to enjoy the time together; the shared responsibility on a level of equality that has never been able to exist before. Now, with these new rules, many working mums with partners returning to work will simply have to down tools. Sure some employers will be understanding but let’s face it, many won’t and when lockdown is over and things return to normal, I’ll bet an ovary that employers will remember the men that stepped up during lockdown conveniently forgetting the women that were beaten down by thoughtless and ill-prepared government policy.