Woman's Hour Folgen

It’s fifty years since the Equal Pay Act became law, though employers were given a couple of years to prepare for the change to take effect. The legislation followed the strike of a group of women machinists at the Ford factory in Dagenham who wanted to be paid just as a man would for doing skilled work. It set out that an individual can claim equal pay for work of equal value. However, it’s proved tricky over the years for women to find out what their male comparators were earning. It’s also proved tricky for women without financial and legal support to use the law. However, cases have been brought over the years and as the law has been strengthened. Last year, Glasgow City Council agreed to pay out a reported £548 million in compensation to thousands of women who were paid less than men working in jobs on the same grade. Jane is joined by Frances O’Grady, General Secretary of the TUC and by Jane Hannon, Employment partner at the law firm DLA Piper Health visiting is one of those professions that most people think is a bit of a non-job. After 40 years in the NHS and 30 as a health visitor, Rachael Hearson tells us why this is not the case. She’s written about her experiences and explains how the role has changed and why it’s needed more now than ever before. Her book is called Handle With Care.Public toilets have been a well-known victim of council cuts, leaving the UK with 50% fewer toilets than a decade ago. Coronavirus has caused even more closures – albeit temporarily. But where does that leave people who need urgent access to the loo? Jo Umbers from the Bladder and Bowel community explains how this issue is affecting women of all ages. Raymond Martin, from the British Toilet Association, discusses the economic and health importance of public toilets in a post-Covid world.Producer: Louise Corley Editor: Karen Dalziel

Last week an editorial in the BMJ reported that before Covid-19 only one in five harmful and dependent drinkers got the help they needed, and now the proportion will be lower. There is concern for those struggling with dependence and those on the brink of dependence. How do you cope with an alcohol problem under lockdown? And what support is out there? We hear the experience of a listener, the journalist Catherine Renton who has been sober for over 3 years and from Julia Sinclair, professor of Addiction Psychiatry, University of Southampton and consultant in alcohol addiction. She’s also chair of the Royal College of Psychiatry’s addiction faculty.Jenny Colgan's latest novel is called Five Hundred Miles From You. It's about a nurse in London and a nurse in the Scottish Highlands. It explores everything they've seen in their careers and whether or not they can help each other.Coronavirus has made visible a group of people who were often invisible – volunteers. Thousands of people signed up to help the NHS as a volunteer. Local residents’ groups have got together to help those who can’t get to the shops, or to call people who might be experiencing severe isolation. Before lockdown, Woman’s Hour began interviewing women who volunteered in all sorts of areas – community cafes, at food banks, working with the homeless. Women who see a gap, or a problem to be solved, and just get on with it – Troopers. They told their stories to Laura Thomas. Today Annie Taylor and Wendy Robinson, the founders of the Profanity Embroidery Group in Whitstable.How do authors cope with the rejection of the books they are writing? Struggling after her latest novel was rejected by publishers Michèle Roberts decided to write down everything that had happened. In the resulting memoir of a year, Negative Capability, Michèle reckons with the hurt and depression caused by the rejection. She rewrites and edits her novel, reconnects with and loses treasured friends, ultimately finding acceptance and understanding.Presented by Jenni Murray Produced by Sarah Crawley Interviewed guest: Catherine Renton Interviewed guest: Julia Sinclair Interviewed guest: Jenny Colgan Interviewed guest: Annie Taylor Interviewed guest: Wendy Robinson Interviewed guest: Michèle Roberts Reporter: Laura Thomas

The UK cleaning sector is worth almost £50bn a year to the country’s economy. It employs more than 900,000 people, mostly women. Right now, many are vulnerable. Some feel they won't be able to stop working if they fall ill or have to self- isolate because they can't afford it. Jenni speaks to Katy, a cleaner. Also Maria Gonzalez who's an employment barrister and Janet Macleod who's a Unite representative Cassa Pancho set up Ballet Black twenty years ago. It's a professional ballet company for Black and Asian dancers, and from the start its aim was to make the dance world more diverse. As well as Cassa, we also talk to Cira Robinson who performed with Stormzy at last year's Glastonbury. Tonight Ballet Black is part of a new BBC TV series called Danceworks.Jackie Kay, the National Poet for Scotland, also known as Makar, discusses her new online poetry and music festival. It's called Makar to Makar and streams via the National Theatre of Scotland's YouTube channel. We also hear from Gerda Stevenson who's a writer, actor, director and singer and is on Jackie's show, plus the singer Claire Brown, who performs a beautiful, traditional Scottish song live.