Equal pay, stronger rights for women would boost Australian economy: Women still earning over $180 a week less than men

Equal pay and stronger rights for women will be the focus of discussions at today’s International Women’s Day – Working Women’s Summit held by the ACTU.

Work/Family Rights

Stronger rights to help balance work and family responsibilities would enable thousands of Australian women to re-enter the workforce, says ACTU President Sharan Burrow, on the eve of International Women’s Day.

“At the moment we have a large number of women who would like to return to work but lack flexible working arrangements to accommodate their family commitments,” says Ms Burrow.

“Parents need an enforceable right to request flexible work and longer parental leave where children are school age or younger. This would bring Australia’s work and family policies into line with top-performing OECD nations (see attached graph) and help grow the economy.”

Ms Burrow says the Rudd Government is to be commended for including the right to request part-time and flexible work for parents in its ten proposed National Employment Standards (NES) but they should ensure it also includes the ability for workers to appeal unwarranted employer refusals.

Paid Maternity Leave

“Australia also needs an employment standard to guarantee paid maternity leave entitlements for Australian workers,” says Ms Burrow.

Pay Equity

Equal pay is another area where Australian women still face discrimination and action is needed to close the gender pay gap.

As ITUC President, Ms Burrow will officially release the International Trade Union Confederation Report on Pay Equity at today’s ACTU Summit.

“This global study of sixty-three nations has revealed women across all industries and age groups are being paid on average 16% less than men.

“ABS data also shows the Australian gender pay gap has worsened in recent years and the most recent figures show females working full-time hours earning 16% or $184.80* a week less than males in full time roles,” she said.

Union priorities for working women

· Implement standards set in the Work and Family Test Case (2005), particularly on the right to request leave and extend to all carers.

· 14 weeks paid maternity leave – a new national employment standard.

· robust pay equity principles reflected in the Rudd Government’s main Industrial Relations Bill later this year and a corporate commitment to pay equity audits.

· superannuation contributions raised to 12% by 2012 - many women experience a lack of retirement savings

· opportunity for skills recognition and acquisition of qualifications

The final ITUC report into Pay Equity will be available on the ACTU website on Friday morning and is also available by request.

* ABS Data, 6302.0, Nov ’07. If overtime is included then the figure rises to $364.40 or 25% as women tend to do more unpaid overtime.

Graph below:OECD female workforce participation rates by age, 2005 (Workforce Participation Rates – How does Australia compare Productivity Commission, December 2006)

Authorised and published by Brian Parkinson, Secretary, Australian Services Union, Victorian Authorities & Services Branch, 116 Queensberry Street, Carlton South, Victoria, 3053, Australia
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