Tomorrow is Equal Pay Day

[BigRedV]

I am not starting this thread to cause any sh!t. I am not starting this thread because I am a biatch. I am not starting this thread because I am a man-hater etc., etc., etc.


I am starting this thread to raise awareness. Tomorrow (1st September) is Equal Pay Day in Australia. Clearly, the government and the unions see the huge disparity in wages to dedicate a whole day to try and educate the community about this problem. Many countries around the world have been doing this for years, this year it is Australia's second time.


I am also starting this thread in the hope that our children will grow up and receive the same amount of pay for exactly the same work, irrespective of their genitalia.

Intersting facts:

In 2008 the Equal EOWA marked 'Equal Pay Day' for the first time in Australia. In 2008 it fell on August 27 - being the date that illustrates the number of extra days many women have to work after the
end of the financial year to earn the same as men.

Unfortunately, because the GPG has increased by one percentage point to 17.2%, using this measure, Equal Pay Day 2009 will take place on 1 September - an extra 4 days.

From this source:
http://www.nfaw.org/nfaw-supports-equal-pay-day-will-you/

And this:

Equal Pay Day, marked for the first time last year, is aimed at educating the wider community to enliven the pay equity debate, as well as educating the business community on the benefits of pay equity, conducting pay audits, and maintaining fair and equitable workplaces

From this source: http://www.cnet.ngo.net.au/content/view/43827/512/


And this:


“Almost 40 years have passed since it became unlawful to pay women less than their male counterparts for work of equal value and yet the gender pay gap remains a yawning gulf in many Australian workplaces,” says ACTU President Sharan Burrow.
Ms Burrow says women are faring worse than men on key measures of equality:
• Women earn on average ($196 per week) 16.3% less than men
• Women have $3 for every $10 men have in their superannuation accounts
• Women are almost twice as likely to be under-employed than men
• Women are under-represented in senior positions in organizations
• Women are over-represented in industries dominated by casual, part-time and low paid employment;
• Women with caring responsibilities are prevented from joining the workforce through a lack of family friendly work arrangements


From this source:

http://www.actu.asn.au/Media/Mediareleases/EqualPayDay2008Australianwomenstilltreatedascheapl abour.aspx



I hope this has increased your awareness about this issue :yes:

[zenifa]

Thanks for the thread, yes its mind boggling that in the 21st century men still get paid more than women for the same work/job...........what happened to feminism and progress?

As a woman and a mother to 2 daughters, this saddens me and I hope that by the time they reach working age this will have changed. Its just not fair!!

Why do we (as women and a society) let this continue to go on??

[DoubleDelight]

I don't need a day to remind me I live it every day. Hopefully by the time my daughter is working she'll be paid what's she's worth rather than paid per pound, (I'm assuming the possession of that extra weight of penis is the reason men get paid more ;) )

[Mathermy]

Thanks Lozzaaa! :)

[MummaBear03]

The reason I haven't fully supported paid maternity leave over the baby bonus (which wasn't around when DD was born dammit! lol) is because far too many women are in casual employment. Female-dominated professions (childcare, nursing, etc) are professions that are often reluctant to put employees on as PPT rather than Casual, and male dominated professions (mechanics, etc) are more likely to put employees on as PPT instead of casual. When more people are made permanent, then I'll support paid maternity leave.

[BigRedV]

The reason I haven't fully supported paid maternity leave over the baby bonus (which wasn't around when DD was born dammit! lol) is because far too many women are in casual employment. Female-dominated professions (childcare, nursing, etc) are professions that are often reluctant to put employees on as PPT rather than Casual, and male dominated professions (mechanics, etc) are more likely to put employees on as PPT instead of casual. When more people are made permanent, then I'll support paid maternity leave.

This isn't about maternity leave, this is about females getting the same pay for the same job as a male.

The new government scheme is called parental leave, not maternity leave.

[delirium]

:yelclap: great thread. The fact that women have 70% less super is really scary. Ultimately I suppose it can be argued that we have less bc we work less with having several years off to have kids, but my contribution as a SAHM after working for years should not penalise me later down the track. Plus, women have a lower percentage of being in the really high paying jobs, another reason we have low super.

[BigRedV]

The reason I haven't fully supported paid maternity leave over the baby bonus (which wasn't around when DD was born dammit! lol) is because far too many women are in casual employment. Female-dominated professions (childcare, nursing, etc) are professions that are often reluctant to put employees on as PPT rather than Casual, and male dominated professions (mechanics, etc) are more likely to put employees on as PPT instead of casual. When more people are made permanent, then I'll support paid maternity leave.

The new paid parental scheme includes casual workers. It includes mothers who only have to work 1 day a week for 10 months before bubs is born.

The Government wants to include women from lower socioeconomic groups in casual and part-time jobs, who are largely excluded from current employer-funded schemes.

From source: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25459128-5013871,00.html

Other sources:

http://home.deewr.gov.au/Budget/documents/PPLBooklet.pdf

http://www.smh.com.au/national/18-weeks-paid-maternity-leave-20090509-aymd.html

[Looshkin]

:yelclap: great thread. The fact that women have 70% less super is really scary. Ultimately I suppose it can be argued that we have less bc we work less with having several years off to have kids, but my contribution as a SAHM after working for years should not penalise me later down the track. Plus, women have a lower percentage of being in the really high paying jobs, another reason we have low super.


I thought the 70% less super was worked out on wages over an equal working period. = 3 months extra this year would need to have been worked to earn as much as the average man.

Having 3 - 10 years off to have babies would drastically change the figure.

:(

[Jakois]

Wel done for posting Lozzaaa:thumbsup:.
I was going to this morning, but was not up to taking the man hater, blah blah insults:cool:.

Sooo, anywho, I hope it has enlightened others to the fact that as a woman we are still disadvantaged in the workplace.

[delirium]

You may be right Zel :yes: that's just how I read into it.

[BigRedV]

I was going to this morning, but was not up to taking the man hater, blah blah insults:cool:.

Sooo, anywho, I hope it has enlightened others to the fact that as a woman we are still disadvantaged in the workplace.

:laughing:

They can think what they like and call me what they want :raspberry:

You must be blind if you missed it :detective:

[Izy]

Thanks for the awareness! Sadly the glass ceiling is still very very much there and many woman are getting lesser pay for the same and/or more work than their male counterparts.

I do want to offer some hope out there that our combined voices are being heard and there is a very slow, but very real change in the right direction. I know in my workplace we are very much equal pay for equal work right up to mid/high management, however it's still a mans executive world... don't worry, theres a fair group working to rectify that ;)

[BigRedV]

Thanks for the awareness! Sadly the glass ceiling is still very very much there and many woman are getting lesser pay for the same and/or more work than their male counterparts.

I do want to offer some hope out there that our combined voices are being heard and there is a very slow, but very real change in the right direction. I know in my workplace we are very much equal pay for equal work right up to mid/high management, however it's still a mans executive world... don't worry, theres a fair group working to rectify that ;)

:iagree:

I hope more people become aware :yes:

[Mathermy]

mmmmmm yes they do!

[missie_mack]

The reason I haven't fully supported paid maternity leave over the baby bonus (which wasn't around when DD was born dammit! lol) is because far too many women are in casual employment. Female-dominated professions (childcare, nursing, etc) are professions that are often reluctant to put employees on as PPT rather than Casual, and male dominated professions (mechanics, etc) are more likely to put employees on as PPT instead of casual. When more people are made permanent, then I'll support paid maternity leave.

I dunno what that has to do with the price of eggs :confused: but either way paid maternity leave over the baby bonus is funded by the government and not the employer and is based on the hours worked in the time prior to the arrival of the baby not the employment status.

The glass ceiling is as evident in many workplaces today as it was 30 years ago its just that the company executives are less open with admitting it is there :rolleyes:

[BigRedV]

I dunno what that has to do with the price of eggs

The glass ceiling is as evident in many workplaces today as it was 30 years ago its just that the company executives are less open with admitting it is there :rolleyes:

:iagree:

[sockstealingpoltergeist]

Thanks for this thread.:gloomy: I am so sad that my DD will be paid less just because of her gender.

I really hope things improve.

[missie_mack]

Also even if two workers of opposite sex are on the same rate of pay we have to remember all too often the male is more likely to be promoted into higher paying positions and those few women that seem to get ahead all to often seem to have to sell their soul or be someone's puppet to get ahead..