Fórsa vice president Margaret Coughlan has called on unions to take action to improve their gender balance at senior levels. Speaking at last week’s ICTU biennial conference, she also called on Congress to campaign for better public provision for elder care which, she said, was becoming an increasing burden on many workers.

Fórsa delegate Melissa Brennan said women remained under-represented in the union, despite efforts to redress the balance. “Women comprise just under 69% of our membership in Fórsa, but this is not reflected in our representative structures.

“Just 56% of branch executive members are women, while only 43% of delegates to our conferences are female. Just 34% of the union's executive committee are women – the same figure as our industrial and organising staff,” she said.

Margaret, who also chairs the Irish Congress of Trade Unions’ (ICTU) Women’s Committee, said it was currently working on the impact of the menopause on women workers following meetings with women trade unionists from Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales.

The committee is also developing a leadership programme for female trade unionists, and has made a submission to government on childcare and early learning.