|
|
|
|
|
|
 | You and Yours - Transcript BBC Radio 4 |
| |
| Print This Page |
| |
| |
| TX: 23.04.04 – CARERS TO BE GIVEN SAME RIGHTS TO FLEXIBLE WORKING AS PARENTS PRESENTER: WINIFRED ROBINSON |
| |
| THE ATTACHED TRANSCRIPT WAS TYPED FROM A RECORDING AND NOT COPIED FROM AN ORIGINAL SCRIPT. BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF MISHEARING AND THE DIFFICULTY IN SOME CASES OF IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS, THE BBC CANNOT VOUCH FOR ITS COMPLETE ACCURACY ROBINSON Good news for Britain's carers, who try to juggle the responsibilities of looking after elderly or disabled relatives while trying to hold down a job at the same time. The Prime Minister has said he wants them to have the same rights to ask employers for flexible hours that the Government gave the parents of young children in April last year. Tony Campbell works for British Gas, which offers its carers flexible working, he told us how he recently decided to go on to a three day week. CAMPBELL My wife has MS, she was diagnosed 19 years ago, things became worse about 10 to 12 years ago when I needed to have more on-hands caring of her. I've been employed by British Gas for about six years and they have a carers policy and I've also they've had flexible working hours available to, in particular, myself to enable me to get the right work/life balance because it's not only a question of looking after the care I've got to look after myself as well. Prior to going to British Gas I was a legal executive in private practice, I worked very long hours and it was difficult then because they didn't appreciate that I would have to sort of disappear at short notice to possibly help my wife or there might be problems coming in and it was a worry. The worry has now been taken away since I joined British Gas in that they've got this flexible approach to carers in particular. ROBINSON That's Tony Campbell. Well Madeleine Starr is here in the studio, she's from the organisation Carers UK, which campaigns for better rights for carers. How significant is this statement by the Prime Minister that he would like carers to have the same rights to ask for flexible working? STARR We consider it to be very significant indeed because it acknowledges carers within employment legislation, it acknowledges that they do have particular and distinct needs and carers needs are different to an extent from the needs of parents but actually not widely recognised. Caring issues can be really quite difficult to bring into the workplace, very sensitive to bring into the workplace, and this is a very strong commitment on the part of the Government, on the part of the Prime Minister, who has given carers issues very strong support. It's an acknowledgement of the complexity of having to manage a life which involves care and work and we feel very positive about it. ROBINSON Is it a change of heart for him? STARR No I don't think it is a change of heart. I think that there was caution around the introduction of the right to request flexible working for parents because industry was worried about opening the floodgates to people … ROBINSON Yes because no one can calculate what the demand might be. STARR Absolutely, and were worried about how they were going to do it. Well in fact industry hasn't collapsed and the economy hasn't ground to a halt and I think employers in fact have discovered that flexibility is a two-way street and actually they have as many gains as their employees. It hasn't been scary, the review so far says that it's working extremely well and I think that therefore there's a move towards opening it up to carers, which from our point of view makes perfect sense. They are a group of very distinct and identified needs in the workplace, it makes a lot of sense to give them the same flexibility and we now know that that is not scary for business. ROBINSON When did this news come out and how did it come out? STARR The Prime Minister did indicate that government wanted to do more for carers as part of … ROBINSON To you privately? STARR Part of a Big Conversation event which was held at Downing Street yesterday and carers were involved in that - that in itself was significant because 10 years ago they wouldn't have been around that table. So there certainly is a move - a recognition of the issues and of course carers and work issues were included in the National Carers Strategy, which was launched in '99. So I think it's very clear that this government does have a commitment to looking at carers' issues. So he certainly acknowledged that the Government would want to do more … ROBINSON When? STARR This was at the Big Conversation … ROBINSON No, no when might you get the right [indistinct word] …? Beg your pardon. STARR Well again I think industry is cautious, it wanted a three year review period for the right to request flexible working for parents and they have that, so the Government is committed to a review in 2006. And what the statement - the announcement - this morning seems to indicate is that actually at that point the Government is committed to an extension of the right to request to carers. ROBINSON I suppose depending on what the results of the review might be. STARR Well having said that, so far the news is good news and we can't see that it would be anything other. ROBINSON We must leave it there, Madeleine Starr thank you. STARR Thank you. Back to the You and Yours homepage The BBC is not responsible for external websites |
| About the BBC | Help | Terms of Use | Privacy & Cookies Policy |