TUC tackles ageism at work

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber has called on the government and employers to eradicate the “massive problem” of workplace ageism.

The TUC wants older workers to have the right to paid time off to learn new skills — supported, where appropriate, by government subsidies for employers.

And, as an increasing number of people in their 50s and 60s find it hard to juggle their work with caring for their grandchildren, it has renewed its call for all workers to have the right to request flexible working.

Delivering the annual lecture at educational charity the Life Academy, Barber also stressed the need for a flexible approach to retirement — offering those who want to work longer the opportunity to do so while ensuring that no-one is compelled to work past the state retirement age.

And retirement itself should be “less of a cliff edge”, he said. “That’s why the TUC is calling for all older workers — not just managers and professionals — to have the opportunity to ease into retirement by combining part-time work with a part-time pension.”

Finally, Barber urged employers to promote older workers’ well-being by making reasonable adjustments that will “allow them to perform to their full potential, backed by redeployment opportunities and proper investment in occupational health”.