
Issue No 92		20 April 2001

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News

Time To Act on Pay Discrimination

All Australian Governments must act to stop pay discrimination against women after tax office data today revealed that men on average earn 46 per cent more than women, the ACTU said.

"Today's figures show the pay gap between women and men is continuing to grow. It's unfair and discriminatory that working women, many with major family responsibilities, must also bear the brunt of increasing financial pressures," ACTU President Sharan Burrow said.

The Australian Taxation Office's new Taxation Statistics for 1998-99 show the average taxable income for men, of $34,460, is more than 46 per cent higher than for women, on $23,599, and that the gap is widening.

The figures reflected the predominance of women in part-time, casual and low-paid jobs as well as gender inequities in the salaries of the highest income earners, Ms Burrow said.

"The value of women's work has never been properly recognised in Australia. It's time the Howard Government showed some leadership by seriously addressing pay inequities that are critical problems for many families and for our society in general."

The recent establishment of non-discriminatory work value principles in New South Wales and Queensland was a step in the right direction, but much more needed to be done. Ms Burrow said test cases in the state industrial commissions were yet to deliver any award pay increases based on the new principles.

Today's figures also showed the importance of the ACTU's Living Wage campaign and casual maternity leave test case in improving living standards for women on minimum wage rates and in casual employment, Ms Burrow said.

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  Issue 92 contents

Interview: Beyond the Accord
Simon Crean cut his teeth in the trade union movement, now he's gearing up to run the economy.

Politics: In Defence of Della�s List
The proposition that trade unions should ask members of the ALP for a commitment that they uphold Party policy should hardly be controversial.

Corporate: The Real Rorters
The unspoken sore of the WorkCover Scheme is non-compliance by employers. None more so that in the construction industry, as this CFMEU paper details.

Legal: In the Real World
Lawyer Ross Goodridge exposes the defficincies in the new medical assessment guidelines for workers compensation by looking at real case studies.

International: The Docklands and Global Labour
Ma Wei Pin and Jasper Goss recount how the struggle of a group of Indonesian hotel workers effected a lucrative Melbourne contract.

History: Sweatshops in America
Since the dawning of the Industrial Revolution, many generations of Americans have toiled in sweatshops.

Unions: Losers Never Start
At the end of her six week vigil, Grenadier delegate Michelle Booth gave her heartfelt thanks to the trade union movement.

Review: Working Classes: Global Realities
The Socialist Register 2001 looks at class realities and the lives of workers in the new century.

Satire: Democrats Change Leader
The Democrats have a new leader after belatedly discovering that Meg Lees had become the second Democrats leader in a row to defect to another party.

» Costa To Join Della�s List

» Compo Campaign Gathers Steam

» Della�s List: Dissident MPs Targeted

» Day of Mourning to be Compo Focus

» Small Steps in Negotiations � But Hard Yards Still to Come

» Important First Step for E-Mail Privacy

» Outraged Cleaners Continue AXA Axings Protests

» Grenadier Picket Ends � But Legacy Lives On

» Entitlement Dramas in Health and Printing

» Nurses Still Waiting on Olympics Bonus

» IRC Delays Hit Eight Month Barrier

» Claims of Dirty Tricks Conspiracy at Mobil

» Sydney Water Workers On Strike

» MUA Rides Anti-pollution Wave

» Governments Urged On Child Slavery

» Time To Act on Pay Discrimination

» Construction Union Supports Folk Festival

» Activists Notebook