Documents Wright, Tessa 4 results

"The UK construction and transport sectors remain the most heavily male-dominated industries, showing minimal progress in women's participation. Long and inflexible working hours presume a male model of the worker unconstrained by caring responsibilities. Yet the experiences of the minority of women who work in these sectors are of interest to those concerned with reducing occupational gender segregation. Sexuality is often overlooked in differentiating women's experience of male-dominated work, and gender conflated with heterosexuality. Through examining the interaction of domestic circumstances and work arrangements of heterosexual women and lesbians, this article finds that atypical domestic circumstances may be required to support male-dominated work. Heterosexual ‘breadwinner' norms were challenged by women's capacity for higher earnings from male-dominated work, but often required strategies to manage associated emotions. Evidence from lesbian relationships indicates a possible shift from prioritization of financial self-sufficiency in the context of legal status for same-sex partnerships."

"The opening up of the European Union has encouraged a shutting down of borders to thirdcountry nationals and in almost every Member State measures have been put in place to restrict such immigration. The consequences, as this article demonstrates, will be first to drivemore people into undocumented status, with an accompanying worsening of employment rights and secondly, to racialise migration, through entry rights being denied primarily to those from the developing South. The UK is introducing a points-based system that limits entry from outside the EU to the highly skilled, and the government is at the same time targeting ‘illegal working'. Based on recent interviews, this article demonstrates the immediate and negative impact of some of these measures on migrants already working in the UK."

"This contribution to On the Front Line records a dialogue between two female Fire Brigades Union (FBU) representatives in the Essex Emergency Control Room, who led industrial action over the imposition of a shift system that stretched their work–life balance to breaking point and constrained their ability to work full-time. Their testimony reveals how male members were mobilised in the interests of predominantly female control staff. Kate and Lynne's discussion illuminates the interaction of gender and class interests and identities in the union and in the lives of its women members. It provides insight into the efficacy of trade unions for women's collective action. "