Elsebet Frydendal Pedersen

The European Construction Social Partners: Gender Equality in Theory and Practice

This article explores the social partners’ role in the gender equality agenda in construction at skilled operative level. It draws on a survey of the European construction social partners that investigated the presence of women in skilled trades and the policies, collective agreements and practices that play a role in women’s integration. The responses indicate that the construction industry still displays inertia and conservatism, and that the social partners corroborate rather than counter this. They express a ‘discourse’ of gender equality, but this does not automatically lead to equal opportunity policies or programmes. The social partners have the platform to make inroads and to change the industry from within, but need further encouragement to put this on their agenda.

Consequences on the Working Conditions on Site with Increased use of CAD/CAM in Construction

The Danish Parliament has established a technological development program running from 1984 to 1987, designed to support the Danish trades‘ and industries’ change-over to high technological systems, production and product development. The program is divided into several smaller programs, one of which, “ The program for overall technological assessments”, supports the following research project. In construction today, CAD/CAM systems are used in connection with technical calculations, for instance strength, quantity and energy calculations, cost accounts, management and drafting.