Hacker Speak

The TUC Congress meeting will debate a motion on safety and suitability of women wearing high heels at work as part of their dress code. This motion will be proposed by the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, which claims that women working in the retail sector are often compelled to wear high heels. Therefore, there is a need of awareness regarding long-term effects and consequences of wearing high heels to work everyday.

The Congress is the policy making body of the TUC that holds meetings annually in which different unions debate and discuss various motions, based on which the TUC works in the next year. Employers can keep themselves up to date with employment relations developments with an accredited CIPD course such as the Certificate in Personnel Practice operated by experts in the field at Workplace Law Training.

The Society on its part is addressing employers who force women employees to wear high heels and urging them to be attentive to the troubles faced by such employees. It has demanded that the employers should carry out a risk assessment in this regard and if the risks are found to be significant, then, high heels should be replaced with comfortable shoes for women.

In 2007, the Society initiated a campaign to provide help and advice on foot care and on how foot problems can be prevented. Their research says that as feet bear the load of the entire body, they can create problems for workers standing for a long time, especially on high heels or ill-fitting shoes. These can ultimately cause serious feet disorders in female employees. The economy in fact loses two million days a year due to lower limb disorders, which shows how big the problem is.

Even the Congress states that high heels might look great on catwalks in Hollywood; but they are completely unsuitable for regular wearing.

However, the whole issue raised by the Society is considered as demeaning by The Apprentice’s Michelle Dewberry and Tory MP Nadine Dorries.