The European Employers, Business Europe, based in Brussels, has stated that it is frontally against the community proposal to extend maternity leave to 18 weeks.
"We believe that 14 weeks are enough to guarantee the health of the mother. In addition, according to current legislation, countries can increase the number of weeks if they want, there is no need for a European law."
The European Comission prepare the extension of maternity leave, which in Spain is 16 weeks, at 18 for all the countries of the Community. This measure, clearly insufficient to achieve the implementation of exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months recommended by the World Health Organization, seems excessive to entrepreneurs. The statements of the spokeswoman of the European Employers, of great pride, they already indicate the contempt for the health of the women and children of this organization that are only interested in short-term economic benefits. Who are they to encrypt women's health?
But the thing goes further. We know that in the Nordic countries, which are undoubtedly those with the best growth rate and with a real incorporation of women into the world of work on equal terms, maternity leave is significantly higher than average. However to the European Employers That is unknown to you.
"It is a new burden for entrepreneurs. If companies have to pay the full salary during the permit, this will have a strong negative impact, also on social security expenses. That is why we will lobby to prevent the text from moving forward." ,
Others dare even more. The European Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (UEAPME) declares itself radically against the community proposal. And to conclude, they say that women should return to work quickly and cover their absence with childcare, as the best way of what they have called conciliation, making a word mean the opposite of what it really means.
"The longer the woman is out of work, the less likely she is to return to the labor market. For us, the ideal is for the woman to return as soon as possible, but to have a network of childcare centers and a flexible schedule allow to reconcile family and work ".
All these veiled threats only hide the rapacity of those who, in search of cheap labor, put their short-term interests above global wealth. Women need to give their babies the best, there is no better investment in the medium and long term. And the way to achieve true integration of women into the world of work on equal terms cannot happen by cutting back their rights or threatening a loss of GDP, when data from more developed countries contradict it. A business lobby dares to threaten and contradict the European Commission, UNICEF and WHO. I am indignant.
Via | The Country In Babies and more | Unicef asks for greater family reconciliation In Babies and more | Suspension in labor conciliation and its consequences
