TRADE unions in the North-East are today launching a new initiative to draw attention to the inequalities faced by women in the workplace.

The TUC's All Different, All Equal conference takes place at Newcastle Civic Centre and key speakers will include North-West Durham MP and Government chief whip Hilary Armstrong, and TGWU national organiser Diana Holland.

The event marks the start of the TUC's 2002 Year of Equality and will also be used to launch a Northern TUC publication, Trade Unions: Working for Women in the North-East, which contains case studies of the work that unions have done in the region to support women.

Thirty-seven per cent of women who took part in a TUD survey said they had experienced discrimination at work.

TUC regional secretary Paul Nowak said: "Our research has shown that women, black workers and workers with disabilities can experience real problems trying to access quality education and skills in the workplace and that problems such as gender pay gap and the glass ceiling are real issues for women across our region.

"During our year of equality we will be challenging Government, employers and trade unions themselves to play their part in ensuring that inequality and discrimination have no place in our region's workplaces."

Ms Armstrong said: "This Labour Government is committed to equal opportunity. We know that it is only by working in partnership with others such as the TUC that we can achieve our goals."