Welsh Journals

6. IT'S STILL THERE! MAINTAINING THE GLASS CEILING IN WALES1 Nickie Charles, Charlotte Aull. Davies, David Blackaby, Phil Murphy, Nigel O'Leary and Paul Ransome The last decade has seen considerable attention paid to 'women at the top'. In 1990 a Hansard Society report with this title showed that women faced a 'glass ceiling' when seeking promotion and were significantly under-represented in top jobs (Hansard Society, 1990). An update of this report in 1996 showed some 'modest progress' but women were still noticeable by their absence; and although women have made inroads into the professions in the last twenty years they have not been so successful in entering the corporate world of management (Rees, 1999: 37; Scott, 1994). The limited progress that has been made, how- ever, seems in danger of being reversed in conditions of economic restructuring and organizational change (Edwards et al., 1999). There is some evidence to suggest that the situation faced by women in Wales is even worse than in the rest of Britain. A report looking at women in top jobs in Wales concluded that 'a smaller proportion of top jobs are held by women than in the country as a whole', and pinpointed the 'greediness' of organizations in demanding 'a commitment to work and a lifestyle that men at the top are reported as increas- ingly resenting, and that on the whole, only child-free women can accommo- date' (Rees and Fielder, 1991: iv-v). This refers to the expectation that senior staff will work very long hours, be available at the drop of a hat to go on busi- ness trips and devote all their waking hours to their job. This long-hours culture is not confined to senior posts but is something which marks off Britain from the rest of Europe and, when coupled with lack of childcare provision, goes some way towards explaining why there are few women in jobs which demand such a heavy commitment of time (Rees, 1999: 13-14). It is often assumed that it is particularly difficult for women in Wales to reach senior positions. This is partly to do with the specific legacy of an economy dependent on extractive and heavy industries which employ men