United Kingdom: TUC Head Calls for Full Use of Older Workers

Trades Union Congress (TUC) General Secretary Brendan Barber, delivering the Life Academy annual lecture in London, called for employers to fully use older workers and the for the UK government to give older workers more choice about how and when they retire. In order not to waste the experience and talent of older workers

Barber presented four key dimensions to the age management challenge as part of the bold, imaginative policies that are needed to cover the full spectrum of issues:

1. Invest in the skills of older workers. The TUC is calling for a right to retraining for older workers, with paid time off to learn new skills, supported where appropriate by subsidies for employers.
2. Take a flexible approach to retirement--do not compel people to work past the state retirement age, but offer the opportunity to work longer for those who want to. At the same time, make retirement itself less of a dramatic cut-off point, less of a cliff edge.
3. Do more to promote flexible working for all by coming to grips with how we enable everyone to balance work and family life.
4. Promote well-being among older workers. Employers should make reasonable adjustments to enable older staff to perform to their full potential, backed by redeployment opportunities and proper investment in occupational health.

Source: Trades Union Congress News Release (November 21, 2007)