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Downturn 'hitting women harder'

Female workers are being hit harder than ever before by the effects of the

current downturn, a report suggests.

A study by the TUC showed the redundancy rate among women had risen by 2.3%,

almost double the rate for men, since last year.

It said more women were in work and more households depended on a woman's wage

than in previous downturns.

It also found many job losses were occurring in retail and hospitality, where

more women than men work.

The study, published ahead of Wednesday's unemployment figures which are

expected to show another big rise in the jobless total, also found women now

earn more than men in a fifth of couples.

Unnoticed redundancies

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said it was going to be an "equal

opportunities recession", compared to the aftermath of Britain's previous

economic downturns.

He explained: "Job losses in sectors where men predominate such as

manufacturing and construction are now being balanced by job losses in retail

and hospitality where more women than men work."

"But job losses among men are still more likely to hit the headlines as women

tend to work in smaller workplaces where redundancies go unnoticed by the

media.

"With so many households absolutely dependent on women's wages, the government

must ensure that women benefit from programmes to help those facing redundancy

and the long-term unemployed."

The TUC urged the government to take specific measures to ensure unemployed

women received the support they needed to get back into work.

Women's employment has increased significantly over the past 30 years, while it

has fallen for men, according to the research.

Meanwhile, a separate study by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and

Development showed half of employers had launched recruitment freezes in a bid

to avoid making redundancies, while a similar number were shedding temporary or

agency workers.

The survey of almost 900 employers revealed one in seven had introduced

short-term working or cut bonuses, while 7% had trimmed wage costs.