誰來哺育?─中小企業職業婦女哺乳困境

Abstract

隨著女性勞動參與率的逐年提高，改變了傳統「男主外，女主內」的性別分工模式，但我國的職場並未調整為對女性-尤其是哺乳期婦女-友善的工作環境。在國際研究發現母乳的好處後，世界各地皆致力於提高哺乳率，我國也自1992年開始推廣母乳哺育計劃，但成效有限，尤其是產假結束後回到職場的哺乳率一直無法與其他國家相比。分析影響哺乳率低落的因素有母親個人因素、就業的關係、家人的支持、政策…等等，而本論文乃研究職業婦女的就業對其哺乳持續的影響。再者，我國的企業規模多屬中小企業，約有七成左右的勞工任職於中小企業，故中小企業的職場環境對女性勞工哺乳的影響更值得我們探討。\r\n 本論文之研究方法除採用文獻分析法外，尚利用深度訪談法，透過研究者自身網絡及母乳哺餵相關網站尋找合適的對象予以訪談，冀了解職業婦女在職場哺乳時的經驗及困境。而由本研究調查發現，女性員工不敢在職場光明正大的哺乳，乃因在職場進行哺乳的行為，存有佔用工作時間及影響工作績效等二種迷思；此外，職業婦女面臨幾個困境：哺乳室缺乏的空間問題、企業的競爭壓力導致哺乳時間難求、工作性質與行業別的不利差異、缺乏主管及同事的支持網絡、職場性騷擾及就業歧視情況。其中又以主管/企業主的態度，對職業婦女的持續哺乳佔最重要的影響因素。\r\n 我國職業婦女所遇到的哺乳困境，其他國家仍然存在，但不論是國際公約規範對職業婦女的哺乳保障，或是國際母乳哺餵行動聯盟(WABA)皆致力消除職場哺乳的困境，北歐國家施行的延長產後休假期間，或是美國研究的職場哺乳計劃(CLP)，其提高哺乳率成效是有目共賭，因此提供我國政府及企業借鏡，值得我們學習效法。

In Taiwan, female labour force participates increasingly in great members. Peculiarities of this labour force have to be borne in mind. Until now, pregnancy and lactation have always been regarded as the task of woman, thus all working mothers must often choose between breastfeeding and work. There are 70% of labours working in small and medium enterprises, in which most women working. Therefore, this study focuses on small-to-medium enterprises to see how breastfeeding is regarded and treated.\r\nAs we know, breastfeeding has been a national major health policy for years in Taiwan. But the breastfeeding rates after maternity leave decline quickly and the rate lagged for behind world standard. This study aims at the conflicts encountered by employed breastfeeding mothers in the workplace. A phenomenological method was conducted. A purposive sample of 12 employed breastfeeding mothers from diverse working places and from various channels were invited to participate in the study. The results of this study are as follows.\r\nPeople have two myths against breastfeeding in the workplace, such as occupied working time and declined working efficiency. And the main conflicts involve lack of lactation space, nursing break hard to find due to heavy work hard, the industry’s character, the rejection from manager or boss, employment discrimination and sexual harassment. The most important obstacle against working mother’s breastfeeding is the attitude of manager or boss.\r\nReflections and policy suggestions are discussed in response to the research results.