The Australian Services Union has organised protests around Australia today with thousands expected to rally in support of equal pay for women.
Pay Up – No More Lip Service to Equal Pay is the campaign being run by the Australian Services Union who claim Australian women are paid 18 percent less than men.
Assistant secretary of the Australian Services Union, Lisa Darmanin, told the ABC the nationwide protests today are are in support of the ASU’s test case currently in front of Fair Work Australia.
“The case is about arguing equal pay for mostly women in the community sector,” she told the ABC.
“When you compare their work to comparable industries, like local government, that is not female dominated, the discrepancies are an average of $15,000 per annum.” She continued.
The Australian Services Union have launched a test case with Fair Work Australia to increase pay in the sector (dominated by women) by 25 percent or $100.
“This week’s action around the nation will clearly show that the battle for pay equity is far from over,” ASU Assistant National Secretary Linda White said.
“Women in full time paid work still earn 18 per cent less on average than men, which equates to $1 million less over a lifetime.”
The ASU contends that Community Workers wages have been set and kept so low because the work of the sector has been traditionally considered as “Women’s Work”, the ASU along with the support of other unions launched a test case with Fair Work Australia that “looks to rectify this injustice and will use the pay and conditions of comparable work to do so” on the 11th of March.
“The pay gap is so big that on average Australian women have to work 63 days more a year just to earn the same income.” Linda White said.
“The problem is generations of politicians have played plenty of lip service to equal pay but not enough has been done to bring women’s wages up to scratch.”
