madam president the estrela report seeks to improve working conditions for pregnant workers and working women who recently gave birth or are breastfeeding and those are objectives that we strongly support
now set against an acute crisis in european and world capitalism there has to be a real concern that vulnerable workers especially will be victimised by certain employers seeking to maintain profits and by governments embarked on the process of slashing social spending and public services
many working class women endure significant exploitation through wage levels that are much lower than men's for example and precarious work
there is a real danger that pregnant workers or women who recently gave birth who are in a more vulnerable position will suffer discrimination in the current circumstances
we strongly agree with making explicit a woman's right to return to the same job twenty weeks maternity leave and reasonable paternity leave
we should also support maintaining the income level at one hundred
we cannot just rely on the law however
there should be strong trade union organisation in every workplace that can guarantee in concrete terms the right of women to come back to work after giving birth without fear of discrimination
