THE number of breadwinners who are women outstrip men in many areas of the North-East, a new survey has revealed.
Sunderland, Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Wansbeck top the areas in the region where the female workforce outstrips the men.
A new survey by the GMB union shows that in many areas of the region the number of breadwinners who are women outstrip men by nearly three to two.
In Sunderland, for example, 61.2 per cent of the workforce are women. In Darlington, the figure is 52 per cent while in Durham City it is 57 per cent.
The union argues that by fighting for equal pay and family-friendly policies, such as supported child-care and back-to-work initiatives, local economies will only gain from having more women in work.
GMB general secretary John Edmonds said: "In many areas we now see women making up the highest percentage of the workforce.
"The country needs the policies that Labour has put in place to ensure fair treatment for these women and to protect local economies," he said
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