Maternity leave

Parental rights such as maternity leave are key to helping staff to combine work with supporting a healthy child birth and the demands of raising a child over the first year. Maternity leave helps parents to be free from the stress of financial worries and return to work with confidence.

Union reps can campaign and negotiate for better maternity schemes at work - but know your facts first. Know what the statutory maternity rights are, get a copy of the employer’s current maternity agreement and, most importantly find out what the workers want.

Armed with this information you will be in a far better position to persuade your employer that improved maternity provision will benefit both workers and the organisation itself.