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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent

Unions criticise ‘demeaning’ gift bag for menopausal staff at Avanti West Coast

Avanti Avanti West Coast Menopause Aslef Louise Newson
front section of Avanti West Coast train at Stockport station
Aslef, the train drivers’ union, said Avanti would be ‘better placed developing workplace policies and procedures that value and support perimenopausal and menopausal women’. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian

A gift bag designed for menopausal women working at Avanti West Coast containing a fan and a jelly baby has been denounced as “demeaning” and an “insulting gimmick” by rail unions.

The pack included a fan for hot sweats, a jelly baby sweet “in case you feel like biting someone’s head off”, a tissue “if you’re feeling a bit emotional” and a paperclip “to help you keep it all together”.

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