Women

The ACTU has welcomed the current debate around family friendly work arrangements and calls for the government to give "the tiger some teeth". "It's vital that the debate continues especially considering 44% of mothers say they do not feel comfortable taking time out from work to care for their children…

The ACTU is predicting a voter backlash after Tony Abbott admitted a Coalition election victory would cost 3.6 million low and middle income earners $500 per year, tens of thousands over their lifetime. ACTU President Ged Kearney said, "The battle lines have been drawn, there's no doubt about it. An…

Employees must be given a genuine right to ask for family-friendly work arrangements, including going part-time, to balance work and caring responsibilities, the ACTU said today. ACTU president Ged Kearney said that the lack of a right to family friendly work arrangements was forcing women out of the workforce or…

ASU National Conference key note speaker Dr Anne Summers addressed delegates about the 40 year history of the gender equality project in Australia. After outlining some key issues and examples, Dr Summers questioned concepts of progress and success in relation to the project. Despite a long history of implementing measures…

One million Australian workers now have access to leave to deal with effects of family violence, thanks to union negotiations, ACTU Secretary Dave Oliver announced today. The ASU led the way with the first successful clause achieved in a Victorian council. Attending the White Ribbon lunch in Melbourne today, Mr…

The Government has new powers to address gender equality including equal pay between women and men; discrimination on the basis of family and caring responsibilities; the state of gender equality in Australian workplaces. The ACTU has provided a detailed a news release: The ACTU has welcomed new laws that will…

The union movement has been at the forefront of many successful campaigns addressing the rights of women in the workplace. Paid and unpaid maternity leave are key conditions in your agreements. More recently, the union movement participated around the country to achieve paid parental leave for all Australians. In light…

Legislative change must be considered to stop the widening gender pay gap, after it blew out further to 17.5% in the last 12 months, say unions. ACTU President Ged Kearney said Australian women now had to effectively fit an extra 64 work days into every financial year to be able…

This edition includes items on the following: Safe At Home Safe At Work Project; Family Violence and Commonwealth Laws; Should age be a barrier to work?; and New gender equality in the workplace laws have passed the lower house. Safe At Home Safe At Work Project Many ASU organisers have…