UK trade union proposal: Be on toes,give up heels

A trade union in the UK has sparked an outrage with its proposal to ban high-heeled shoes from the workplace because they are sexist and pose a safety hazard.

Bosses at the Trade Union Congress has proposed a motion decrying the stiletto heel as demeaning to women and insisted that females at work should sport sensible shoes no more than an inch high to avoid injuries and long-term foot and back problems,the Mail online said on Thursday.

Union chiefs warned that women who work for airlines,banks and department stores are forced to wear high heels,even though they are unsuitable.

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However,the proposal has sparked an outrage among high-flying women,who labeled the motion as patronising. This is absolutely ridiculous and I think these union officials should be spending their time dealing with more important issues, said former Apprentice winner Michelle Dewberry.

Im at work in five-inch heels and perfectly able to do my job. Heels are sexy,they boost your confidence and they are empowering to women, she was quoted as saying by the British website.

Dewberry,who founded the beauty website chiconomise.com after giving up a lucarative salaried job with Sir Alan Sugar,it was a personal choice and certainly not meant for debate at union offices.

I cant imagine these officials debating a motion about how tightly men should wear their ties. Wearing heels is a personal choice, she underlined.

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British politicians have also jumped into the stiletto row. Nadine Dorries,the Conservative Party lawmaker,said the extra height can help women in the workplace and accused the TUC of trying to divert attention away from Labour chaos.

Im 53 need every inch of my Christian Louboutin heels to look my male colleagues in the eye. If high heels were banned in Westminster,no one would be able to find me, she said.

The TUC need to get real,stop using overtly sexist tactics by discussing womens stilettos to divert attention away from Labour chaos, Tory MP underlined.

Next month,members of the TUC at its annual conference will debate the motion: Congress believes high heels may look glamorous on the Hollywood catwalks but are completely inappropriate for the day-to-day working environment.