Australian women today mark another International Women’s Day waiting for action from the Morrison Government.
At every moment that Australian women have needed action from the Prime Minister he has either done nothing, deflected responsibility or blocked changes proposed by others.
Despite how much the Prime Minister talks up his commitment to women, under his leadership women in the workplace:
- Have a 2 in 3 chance of experiencing sexual harassment in a current or former workplace.
- No guaranteed right to paid family and domestic violence leave, despite a spike in family and domestic violence during the pandemic.
- Rely on the second worst paid parental leave scheme in the developed world, according to the OECD.
- Pay for some of the most expensive early childhood education and care in the world – with early childhood educators being extremely low paid.
- Earn on average $483.30 less per week than a man and retire with half the amount of super.
- Are more likely to be in low wage, casual, part-time and insecure work
When all types of work, bonuses and overtime are considered the gender pay gap is over 30 per cent.
61 per cent of those who rely on Awards or minimum wages are women, and women dominate sectors, including aged care, early childhood education and health, that are systemically underpaid.
The union movement calls on the Morrison Government to act urgently to make workplaces safer for women and close the gender pay gap by:
- Introducing stronger equal pay laws in the Fair Work Act
- Paying superannuation on parental leave
