Women worried about work journey

One in seven women has safety concerns about the journey to and from work, a survey by the retail union Usdaw has found. 'What's happening on your journey to work?', the report of Usdaw's survey, says the union found women members are also twice as likely as men to feel unsafe on their journeys to and from work. Over half of all women feel anxious about their personal safety when walking in the dark. Usdaw said many of its members have shift patterns which mean they need to travel to and from work in the early morning or late at night and as a result are often travelling in the dark and when public transport is quieter or even non-existent. The union has now launched a campaign to provide its members and reps with advice and support on how they can make journeys to and from work safer, advice that includes how to raise concerns and negotiate with employers on the issue. Usdaw general secretary John Hannett said 'it is of great concern to Usdaw and it should be for employers and policymakers that such a significant number of workers, whether they are women or men, can feel unsafe on their way to and from work.' He added: 'As the relentless drive to a 24/7 society continues unabated, this issue is going to have to be addressed more seriously by employers, policymakers and politicians, particularly as evidence is beginning to emerge that the impact of government spending cuts is actually making the situation worse.'

Usdaw news release, campaign materials and full What's happening on your journey to work? report.