Margaret tells of a client who wishes to take her 4 month old on a training
course at another location, and has been forbidden to bring father and baby
along.

This was my exact work/breastfeeding experience.  I was a Sales rep, who
worked from my home or traveled locally.  Every 6 months or so we had to
attend a Sales. Conference for 5 days in Toronto.  Very male-oriented
activities, no spouses allowed.

My first conference I was to attend was at 6 months, just as I was finishing
our then 6 month maternity leave here in Canada.  I had planned to bring my
husband and baby, as my previous manager (woman) had done a year previous
with her new baby.  However, she had since left the co. and I had a new
manager.  And then my dh couldn't attend, but the hotel had babysitters they
could provide, which I was willing to use while I attended all scheduled
meetings and social events.

Management disagreed, I refused to attend, and lengthened my leave by 3
extra months, using a little-known unpaid leave provision in our benefits
package.  I returned at 9 months, and had to attend a 2 day briefing in
Toronto, which I did without baby, knowing that I would have been fired
otherwise.   I was away from baby 52 hours, we all survived somehow (she
never took a bottle, I expressed to relieve pressure while gone - its a
miracle I didn't get mastitis).

Next conference was when baby was 14 months, I spent many weeks arguing with
management to bring baby along.  along the way they suggested I miss
conference.  They questioned my committment to job (how could I do job
properly while still bfing), I questioned their committment to me (if I
missed another conf, I basically wouldn't be able to do my job).   In end
they VERY reluctantly agreed.  I took baby, used hotel babysitters, attended
all meetings and social functions, even after I got food poisoning (along
with others) the first night, and went to hospital briefly (baby was fine).
All went fine I thought, co-workers sympathetic (all had young children too,
but were men).  National Sales manager even played with her one night at
supper  (BTW his 3 kids were all bfed, one for 2-3 years, I had heard)..

Next conference at 19 months.  I again tried to make hotel babysitting
arrangement, they wouldn't tell me the hotel.  (I thought I was within my
rights to push until 2 years, refering to WHO recommendations).  One week
before conference, I was teleponed and "let go".  No mention of
breastfeeding (they claimed it was re-organization), but clearly I didn't
fit their image of a sales rep anymore.  I received a fairly generous
severance package, was replaced by woman with grown-up children.

My advice:
1.  Document everything - all conversations, etc. in case you want to persue
legal case.
2.  Find out your rights.  In Canada, the provincial Human Rights
Commissions were just starting a campaign to highlight breastfeeding rights.
This may have impacted my employer's decision that it would be simpler to
let me go and pay me off, than to have complaint filed against them.  If I
had known about this new campaign, I may have pushed harder, or filed a
complaint when it happened.  International Human Rights definately covers
breastfeeding.
3.  Get a doctor's note.  Before the 14 month conference, I got a note from
my Dr. saying that baby should travel with me in order to be able to
continue breastfeeding.
4.  Get expert support onside.  I had the Public Health Manager from our
Breastfeeding Centre write a firmly worded letter suggesting that my
employer become "family friendly"  (they were an educational publisher, so
this would "hit home" to them), and that due to family allergies, my baby
especially needed to keep breastfeeding.  She also listed risks of abrupt
weaning.  We attached our Breastfeeding Committee for Saskatchewan
statements on the rights of the mother to breastfeed, and the rights of baby
to be breastfed.
5.  I had a fair bit of leverage with the company, as I had been there a
couple of years, and was their only representative in the whole province,
having taken over from a 17-year rep.  So if I didn't attend a conference or
was fired, no efective sales activity could have been done in that territory
for awhile.   Remember, they hired YOU for a reason, you DO have some
negotiating power with them - use it!!!

I'm not sure if my above advice and experience is "how to take baby to
training with you", or "how to get fired for breastfeeding", considering the
final outcome!  I'd be glad to provide more detail or support if you like.

Janice Reynolds
Nokomis, Saskatchewan, Canada

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