Campaign for better maternity pay

[strawberriesbananas]

Hello there

I've started a campaign asking Barnardo's, the children's charity, to give women better maternity pay. They have a huge budget and pay their CEO more than the Prime Minister but Mums hardly get anything! It's not acceptable for a children's charity! Sign here: platform.organise.org.uk/campaigns/open-letter-barnardos

[leghairdontcare]

A lot of people would argue that 12 weeks half pay and then SMP is a good package unfortunately.

Am I reading it right that you don't work there? Does anyone who works there support your campaign? Is there a unionised workforce? Campaigns like this would benefit from union support.

[strawberriesbananas]

Agree that it's better than what some get but a children's charity should be leading the way. I've already been contacted by someone who is in the process of being made redundant after returning from mat leave.

[Lichtie]

I'm with leghairdontcare seems like a reasonable maternity policy to me. I'd rather they spent the money on what people donated it for.

[thebewilderness]

I'd rather they spent the money on what people donated it for.

Can't expect a children's charity to put their donations where their mouth is, eh.

[strawberriesbananas]

Barnarndo's is supposed to help protect vulnerable children in the UK. They have 1000-2000 employees, many of whom will be shop workers on low wages. The children of Barnardo's employees need to be looked after too! And charities should lead by example otherwise how can they expect the rest of the world to follow? And if you believe that as much money as possible should go to the beneficiaries of the charity you will no doubt object to the male CEO being 180k a year?

[QuarksandLeptons]

Thanks OP. A rising tide lifts all boats and all that.
I think it’s a worthwhile initiative. The more companies that do this, the more the culture starts to change overall.
Out of interest is there a general parental leave policy?
I don’t think women’s rights will improve enough until it is the norm for both women and men to both take leave after a child is born

[SecretLimonadeDrinker]

I work for a charity and it's pretty similar in terms of mat pay. I thought it was fair.

I have previously worked for tech companies and they all had statutory mat pay only.

[itallhappensforareason]

Oh boo hoo. I'd much rather support a campaign to get SMP raised as it would benefit so many more people. I'm getting SMP only - I would love 50% from my company for 12 weeks!

[Treesybreezy]

Yes, to raising SMP instead, although if we're thinking of reform in the welfare sector there's a lot more to do with alleged austerity measures that a) desperately need changing and b) disportionarily (?) affect women - so a valid feminist campaign point

[AlexanderHamilton]

Thats an excellent maternity package and much much better than many people get.

[tenbob]

What do you want the pay raised to..?

Maternity pay isn't like the living wage where an acceptable level has been set, so anything above statutory is a good package

Would the shop workers be any better off if they worked somewhere else? I can't see them disadvantaged by being in their role

Them being a children's charity is irrelevant, unless you're going to suggest that the UK maternity laws, which are some of the most generous in the world, are damaging to children

It would be like trying to persuade a mental health charity to give their staff 40 days holiday a year because they are a mental health charity

[Ineedacupofteadesperately]

Hmmm. DH always uses the phrase 'it's not a zero sum game' about things like this.

Yes, it would benefit parents more if the basic state parental leave allowance was greater. But that's a different issue and would need lobbying of a different group and it wouldn't harm other people if Barnado's were more generous and lead by example, which they really should do given their policy aims.

Also, it seems they are well behind other comparable charities who are much more generous as the OP notes in her letter (e.g. Save the Children - full pay 21 weeks).

I do think it looks bad when the CEO is on such a vast sum but they're not being equally generous for all staff. Puts me off donating to them for sure.

[Nightmanagerfan]

I work for a charity and our mat leave policy is so much worse than this!