Industrial News: February 2010

Women still waiting for pay equity

The pay equity report Making it Fair, released last November, highlights the continuing (and in some cases worsening) pay gap between men and women’s earnings. The findings of the 18-month long inquiry are alarming and a sharp reminder of the need for action in a range of areas to increase women’s participation in the workforce, including action to improve wages and conditions.

The report leaves no doubt that a proactive approach must be taken with 63 recommendations dealing with industrial relations reforms; anti discrimination; establishing a pay equity unit within Fair Work Australia; and a range of administrative approaches that all government agencies and authorities can implement.

I realise many readers will be scratching their heads thinking: “... equal pay again, wasn’t this resolved years ago…” The Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission handed down its first equal pay decision 40 years ago. The report’s findings indicate unacceptably slow progress since that time. Just a few snippets tell the story:

• The average industry gender pay gap is still around 17% with some industries like finance and insurance at 31.9%.
• Since 1992 the pay gap has actually grown.
• The workforce is highly gender segmented, women predominate in four or five industries and occupations.
• Women appear to be employed in workplaces or situations where they have less bargaining power and have not fared as well in enterprise bargaining or individual contracts.
• Women miss out on opportunities to accumulate superannuation because of interruptions to paid employment. A situation compounded by lower pay.
• Pay inequity is evident in all industries and experienced by women at all skill levels.

The aged care sector, where women make up 95% of the workforce, gets a special mention in the report. Women’s work in aged care is greatly undervalued and the report urges the responsible Ministers (including the Minister for Finance) to increase funding for wages in this sector. A point the ANF wholeheartedly endorses. Many readers will be familiar with the ANF’s because we care campaign, which is focusing on the need to deliver pay equity for the aged care sector in the 2010 Budget.

Funding for fair pay and conditions which recognise the qualifications, skills and experience of nursing and care staff would be a significant step in addressing the long standing inequity and injustice faced by the many thousands of women working in this sector.

The ANF urges the federal government to support the recommendations in Making it Fair, particularly in relation to the aged care sector. The 2010 Federal Budget is a good starting point. The report is available for download at http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/ewr/payequity/report.htm

Debbie Richards
ANF Federal Industrial Officer