Lack of paternity leave: How can we make a difference ?

Nevyn

pm me the link that way I can give you credit and track back to it.

lostinnappies

Thaedydal wrote: »

Right I get up paternityleaveactiongroup@gmail.com and a bebo/myspace/facebook.

What we need now is images, graphics and content and any articles which any of you can find on the web about this issue.

Want to spend 10/15 min helping go looking for news articles about this issue,
or searching online the archives of of the Dáil and senad about this.
Want to add your or your partner' story write it up and we will include it.

oh I went ahead with the other one already

See there are lots of things that use PLAN and I tough that PLAG is pronoucable but won't get confused with anything else and with it being a group anyone can be a member and take action and support.

here is an articel you could paste in there
http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/Pubs/clark.html
http://www.babyreference.com/BondingMatters.htm then end bit

and an image
http://www.fotosearch.com/CSK006/pr25880/

lostinnappies

just realised that last image was copyrighted

http://www.clipartguide.com/_pages/0512-0706-1513-2805.html
maybe this one

Oryx

Well done girls, I hope this works out for ye and you actually get a bit of publicity on the issue.

SarahMc

Biro wrote: »

Maybe the feminists will help! They've been screaming for equality for many years now!

Actually the National Women's Council have been campaigning for this for years. Specifically they are looking for:

• Paid maternity leave to increase to 26 weeks.
• 5 days paid paternity leave (to be taken within 1 month of birth).
• 26 weeks paid parental leave.

Sleepy

Up the walls busy at the moment with a house move and baby due on the 2nd but I'll help in any way I can!

Having to use annual leave myself and since I only get the statutory 20 days, it's meant pretty much no time off to-date this year!

Nevyn

Well even if we raise awareness cos most people don't know until they go looking for it and then they are so busy with the baby and the changes to their lives.

This way if people know they can hassle thier T.D. about it

krpc

Hi,

I noticed this thread while browsing the forums. I'm not a parent, or at least not that I know of, but I thought maybe having a look at www.fathers.ie, if it hasn't been provided already, might be of some help to you regarding this?

I hope it helps

Eyeofthetiger

This has annoyed me for a while too, the civil service give 2 days off, I believe some multinationals give 2 weeks and other places none. It would be nice to have some consistency and at least a minimum decent amount. Then again there's no consistency with maternity benefit either....

shaz00

Hi think this is a fantastic idea and ill help in anyway i can aswell. Been a mum of 2 myself i know the importance of the dad having time to bond, my partner, been the angel he is, took his holidays at the time i had my boys, it was a case of having too as i had sections on both of them and wasn't able. He burnt the candle working and visiting me while i was in hospital and then took his holidays when i got home. Will be forever grateful to him for it, helped me out so much, but not everyone is so lucky to have that flexability with their employers, and then he'd no holidays for the rest of the year which really sucks.

I am so in for all that you are doing, fathers should have some entitlements its only right and fair for the babies to bond with both. Go girls this is fantastic!!

Ronan Raver77

Yes this is a good idea to push for some change in the law etc..Pretty bad looking at the list of various other european countries compared to ireland.

hello all. my partner and i had a baby boy in june and i too was only given two poxy days off. if there is a petition going count me in.

littlebug

Wow wow wow :eek: I don't check in all day and ye've got whole campaigns up and running. A great idea. If there's any thing I can do to help at all just shout.
With our second baba my hubby took paternity leave for a few weeks. First time round was a nightmare. His 2 days were used up while I was in hospital before the baby was even born.

Dfens

Great idea ! Haven't much time to spare at the moment to help out but would gladly add my name to any petition etc.

littlebug

Here's the abstract for an interesting article on a global policy analysis of fathers' use of paternity leave. I have the full pdf here but I'm not sure of the legalities of posting the full text here? Anyone know?


FATHERS, WORK AND FAMILY LIFE
Global perspectives and new insights
Authors: Margaret O'Brien; Berit Brandth; Elin Kvande (Show Biographies)
DOI: 10.1080/13668800701574971
Publication Frequency: 4 issues per year
Published in: Community, Work & Family, Volume 10, Issue 4 November 2007 , pages 375 - 386
Subjects: Family Policy; Social Work; Welfare; Work;
Formats available: HTML (English) : PDF (English)
You have: ACCESS
Article Requests: Order Reprints : Request Permissions

View Article: View Article (PDF) View Article (HTML) View Article Section-at-a-time (HTML)



Abstract
This paper presents a policy analysis of fathers' use of paternity leave, parental leave and flexible work practices across several industrialised countries. From the late 1990s there has been a rapid expansion of leave and flexible working provision targeted at fathers, especially in the Nordic countries. New evidence on predictors and patterns of fathers' leave taking are reviewed. Findings suggest that paternal leave taking has the potential to boost fathers' practical and emotional investment in infant care.
Keywords: Fathers; paternity leave; parental leave

i just sent the following to mary hanafin. i cheekily cut+paste a large piece of an earlier post.

Dear Minister,

I would like to know when you plan to change the current SHAMEFUL situation where new fathers in this country are entitled to NO PAID PATERNAL LEAVE WHATSOEVER. Please take a moment to read the following table.

Statutory Paternity Leave in Europe:

Ireland is right down the bottom of the European league table:

* Iceland - 3 months paid paternity leave
* Slovenia - 90 days paid paternity leave
* Norway *(Outside EU) - 6 weeks paternity leave
("use it or lose it")
* Finland - 18 days paid paternity
(proposing to raise it to 25 days)
* Denmark - 14 days paid paternity
* Estonia - 14 calendar days
* France - 2 weeks paid paternity
* Italy - 2 weeks paid paternity
* UK - 2 weeks paid paternity (from 2003)
* Sweden - 10 days paid paternity leave
* Latvia - 10 calendar days
* Austria - 10 days paid paternity
* Romania - 5 days paid paternity leave
* Hungary - 5 days paternity leave
* Portugal - 5 days paternity
* Belgium - 3 days paid paternity
* Spain - 2 days paternity
* Holland - 2 days paid paternity
* Luxembourg - 2 days paid paternity
* Ireland - NO entitlements to paternity leave

I believe that this pitiful situation needs to be addressed with utmost urgency as working families such as my own are not being afforded the luxury of time for adjustment and bonding which other EU countries take for granted. I look forward to receiving a response from you in the next 15 working days.

Your Sincerely

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

fell free to cut and paste this and send it to hanafin. lets make her earn her keep

Nevyn

I have been told that you should email and then a week later write a letter and then reference that you send an email already.

lostinnappies

ok almost done with writing up the petition will send it on probably by the end of the day, im just compiling all the info i get into one letter, i hope it will all fit on the board post because im sure people want to read what they are signing.:D

JoeyJJ

Matt Cooper might pick this up if you fancy sending it into him. If he does pick it up he'll get some attention.

galwaydude

That is such a great idea, anything i can help with i will. We are living in the darks ages as 2 days is certainly not enough time to bond with a new baby. Over here in the states you get 2 weeks by law but my employer basically told me to fob of so had to use my annual leave.

the glass woman

Great idea people, i'm also willing to help in any way i can.. I know you mentioned the bebo sites etc which is great, but if needs be my husband is a web/graphic/logo & brand designer who works in advertising and can also do web banner ads if there was any use for them.. just putting our talents out there!

Nevyn

Banner adds, sig banners and what ever else will be very welcome.

Geordie_Girl

I think this is a great cause, my other half had to use 2 weeks of his annual leave last year when our son was born.

I noticed that the non-copyrighted image suggested earlier was very American and not maybe not really relevant to Ireland. If you're still looking for an image I have (what I consider) a lovely picture of my partner and our son, taken whilst he was on his hols after the birth. I'd be happy for it to be used for this. PM me if you want to have a look and see if it's any use.

the glass woman

Thaedydal wrote: »

Banner adds, sig banners and what ever else will be very welcome.

Great well when you have an outline of what your plan of action is then just give me a detailed brief of what you need and I'll pass it on to him.

mikemac

JoeyJJ wrote: »

Matt Cooper might pick this up if you fancy sending it into him. If he does pick it up he'll get some attention.

Excellent idea.
He has five children under 7 too so I'd imagine he knows a bit about the subject.

stovelid

Interesting survey / article on men's attitudes in the Irish Times today. Noticed this:

A large majority (74 per cent) say paid paternity leave and more flexible working conditions should be introduced to allow men to become more involved in child-rearing.

Mentioned on the front page of the print edition.

Full article here:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0919/1221690003468.html

lostinnappies

Geordie_Girl wrote: »

I think this is a great cause, my other half had to use 2 weeks of his annual leave last year when our son was born.

I noticed that the non-copyrighted image suggested earlier was very American and not maybe not really relevant to Ireland. If you're still looking for an image I have (what I consider) a lovely picture of my partner and our son, taken whilst he was on his hols after the birth. I'd be happy for it to be used for this. PM me if you want to have a look and see if it's any use.

cool, I was going to get my hubby but hes a bit shy ... .one, two, three ... aaaaawwwwwwhhhh.

Sleepy

micmclo wrote: »

Excellent idea.
He has five children under 7 too so I'd imagine he knows a bit about the subject.

Definitely the kind of thing he has on the Last Word. There'd need to be a website and some proposed actions before going on though. Whether he agrees with a viewpoint or not he's not shy of ripping people apart with pertinent questions.

JoeyJJ

Matt is brilliant for taking both sides of the arguement depending on who he is talking to. Once its in swing send it in via the todayfm site and they might pick it up.

We could have a nice day with placards outside the Dail. Nobody dress up as batman and climb the building though, thats a little too far.

Nevyn

Working on the web presesce atm.