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On the plus side: no more misogynist posters. Ripping them off was very satisfying.
On the downside: the Australian Federal government has put getting the budget back in surplus ahead of lifting the wages of 153 000 workers, mostly women, who are working in community services.
According to the article, this is the first test of equal pay rights under the Fair Work Act - and apparently it's failed. So more than 150 000 women, who are already working in jobs on the lower end of the salary spectrum, are not going to get their wages lifted so that they are paid the same amount as the men who work those jobs. 150 000 women are working in the community sector - working with victims of abuse, the disabled, the aged, the homeless - essentially, one of the hardest jobs in society. And sooner or later they will leave the sector, because it is a hugely wearing job and I doubt I could do it. I don't mean to imply that they're working in those jobs for the money, far from it - but equal pay would be one less thing to worry about. Maybe it wouldn't make their jobs easier, but I doubt it would make them harder.
The community sector has a massive turnover rate already, and this will just exacerbate it. More people leaving will mean programs are closed and longer lines for the people who need help. And women will make up at least 50% of these people. So not giving these workers equal pay doesn't just affect them, it has a knock-on effect.
Things like this should not be an issue any more in Australia. (I wonder if Gillard is being paid at the same rate as Rudd or Howard?)
I just, urgh.
On the downside: the Australian Federal government has put getting the budget back in surplus ahead of lifting the wages of 153 000 workers, mostly women, who are working in community services.
According to the article, this is the first test of equal pay rights under the Fair Work Act - and apparently it's failed. So more than 150 000 women, who are already working in jobs on the lower end of the salary spectrum, are not going to get their wages lifted so that they are paid the same amount as the men who work those jobs. 150 000 women are working in the community sector - working with victims of abuse, the disabled, the aged, the homeless - essentially, one of the hardest jobs in society. And sooner or later they will leave the sector, because it is a hugely wearing job and I doubt I could do it. I don't mean to imply that they're working in those jobs for the money, far from it - but equal pay would be one less thing to worry about. Maybe it wouldn't make their jobs easier, but I doubt it would make them harder.
The community sector has a massive turnover rate already, and this will just exacerbate it. More people leaving will mean programs are closed and longer lines for the people who need help. And women will make up at least 50% of these people. So not giving these workers equal pay doesn't just affect them, it has a knock-on effect.
Things like this should not be an issue any more in Australia. (I wonder if Gillard is being paid at the same rate as Rudd or Howard?)
I just, urgh.
