CWU plaudits for maternity move
Postal union the CWU has applauded a “groundbreaking” move by Santander to provide additional paid maternity leave to female employees whose babies are born prematurely.
The enhancement to the banking group’s maternity leave offering is part of a package of improvements discussed between the union and the company.
It is not just new mothers of premature babies who will benefit, as Santander has also decided to introduce an entitlement to a period of compassionate leave (normally up to two weeks’ paid leave) for colleagues whose partner has had a premature birth and whose baby requires a period of hospitalisation.
As the CWU says, both innovations significantly improve paid leave provision for parents of premature babies, and form part of a wider package of improvements to the bank’s maternity, adoption and shared parental leave policy which will also see the number of paid weeks’ leave for all three areas elements extended from 16 to 20 weeks.
CWU national officer for Santander, Sally Bridge, commented: “All of the improvements announced this morning are, of course, extremely positive, but it is the special provisions that are now being introduced for the parents of premature babies that are truly groundbreaking."