The Sex Discrimination Act

Question 1

When was the sex discrimination act passed?

Answer 1

-1975 to end discrimination against men or women on basis gender or marital status
-ensuring equality of opportunity in employment + education outlawing harassment

Question 2

What did this act set up?

Answer 2

-Equality Opportunities Commission
-oversee SDA + EPA

Question 3

What could the commission do?

Answer 3

-bring court proceedings against any party it judged not being compliant with these acts

Question 4

What impact did the EOC make?

Answer 4

-only launched 9 investigations in 8 years 1976-1983
-only 10% of S3 discrimination claims in workplace were successful at difficult to prove

Question 5

How did women’s economic position start to improve during 1970s?

Answer 5

-from 1971 able take out mortgage without male guarantor
-EPA came into force 1975
-employment protection act ensured maternity leave pay + outlaws dismissal on grounds of pregnancy

Question 6

What did Barbara Castle do to help progress women’s rights?

Answer 6

-steered through reforms to State Earnings Related Pension Scheme with Social Security Pensions Act
-became more generous to women whose contributions been ,omitted by caring responsibilities

Question 7

What inequalities remained?

Answer 7

-TUs still dominated by men + suspicions remained working women would suppress wages for men
-EPA didn’t solve all concerns women not treated equally as employers still made tasks slightly different

Question 8

How did the TUC respond to this?

Answer 8

-published charter ‘Equality for Women within Trade Unions

Question 9

Did women’s wages improve?

Answer 9

-women’s wages went up from 59% of men’s wages 1970 to 70% by 1977