Borough’s level of female workers lowest in UK

Photo from: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

Tower Hamlets has the lowest percentage of female workers in the UK, research has shown.

According to research released by the GMB Union this week, only 40.2 per cent of employed people in Tower Hamlets are women, while in Wandsworth where 51.8 per cent are female.

Wandsworth was one of only 85 locations in the UK where women outnumber men in employment figures. The figures include both public and private sector employment and an age range of 16-64.

The GMB study found that in Tower Hamlets there are total 87,500 employees in employment with 52,400 male workers and 35,200 female workers in the Annual Population Survey of 2009 to 2010- collated by the Office of National Statistics.

However, there are four further boroughs in London where resident women in employment outnumber men, in Hillingdon at 51.3 per cent, Barnet 50.3 per cent and Bexley 50.2 per cent.

1.44 million female employees contribute to work in London, which is 47 per cent of the 3.1 million people in employment. The female workforce in Tower Hamlets is far below the regional average.

A spokerperson from Tower Hamlets council, said: “The council is fully committed to promoting equality and women outnumber men in senior roles.”

Kamaljeet Jandu, GMB national officer for equality and diversity, said: “An increasing number of women are playing a vital role in the economy and in the workplace while balancing the needs of their families.

“Women should also be able to work in an environment free of sexual harassment and any other form of sexist banter and should receive equal pay and have access to family friendly flexible working arrangement”, she added.

The number of regions with higher proportions of women in employment has increased from 45 in 2004, out of over 200 nationwide.

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