Chapter Briefing INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
8 MARCH 2009 Monday, 2 March 2009 Key Issues International Women’s Day challenges all of us to decide what legacy we will pass on to future generations, both industrially and professionally. Actions Plan a celebration chapter morning tea to mark International Women’s Day on Monday, 9 March 2009. Stay updated with major national campaigns on Paid Parental Leave, Pay Equity and changes to the FWB – along with local collective bargaining developments aimed at further enhancing family-friendly provisions in your school sector. Fax back chapter support for our national union’s Pay Equity submission by Friday, 20 March 2009. Get online and email your local federal MP about including Paid Parental Leave in the 2009 Budget. Consider joining the QIEU Equity Committee. Contacts QIEU
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Dear Colleagues Members are encouraged to celebrate the contribution of our female colleagues to education and wider society to mark International Women’s Day (IWD) this Sunday, 8 March. History of International Women’s Day The history of IWD in Australia dates back to 1928 when the first IWD rally was held at the Sydney Domain on 25 March. For more than 80 years, IWD has been observed as a time for asserting women’s social, political and working rights. Our legacy to the workers of tomorrow International Women’s Day is also a time to reflect on the progress made by generations of working women and their families in the struggle for fair workplace rights, decent employment conditions and equal pay. It is also a time to consider the professional contribution that women educators have made, and continue to make, within education. However, it is much more than that. This special day challenges all of us to decide what legacy we will pass on to future generations of women workers, both industrially and professionally. QIEU members have demonstrated that we are prepared to accept responsibilities beyond what happens in the classroom. As educational professionals and school employees, we have a broader influence in the community and in the political arena. QIEU members have and will continue to make a difference in the working lives of women and their families. Big issues for 2009 1. Paid Parental Leave After decades of campaigning, Australian families deserve universal paid parental leave. The Productivity Commission has released a model for a proposed 18 week scheme. The ACTU has called for paid parental leave to be funded in the May 2009 Budget and be included as a new national employment standard. You can support the ACTU Paid Parental Leave campaign right now by sending a digital online petition to your local federal MP. At the ACTU website www.actu.asn.au go to the top story “It’s time to deliver paid maternity leave”. Click on “Take action online” and follow the easy prompts to send off an e-petition to your local federal MP.
Phone: 3839 7020 Fax: 3839 7021 Freecall: 1800 177 937
Significant member support activity will also be necessary when the Productivity Commission releases its final report shortly, which was due at the end of February.
Email: enquiries@qieu.asn.au
2. Pay Equity and discrimination
Internet: www.qieu.asn.au
While women’s participation in the workforce has increased dramatically over the past 30 years, women still earn on average 18.4% less than men, are more likely to be underemployed in casual / fixed term jobs and have less superannuation upon retirement. The Federal government’s Pay Equity Inquiry was launched in mid 2008 to investigate causes and possible solutions to this important issue. Chapters are asked to complete the attached fax back and return it to QIEU by Friday, 20 March 2009, in support of our Union’s submission at the Pay Equity Inquiry public hearings in Brisbane on 31 March 2009.
Key elements affecting pay equity for women working in the non-government education sector have been identified as: Lack of appropriate recognition of women’s work value and skills; Lack of flexible work practices; and Lack of adequate representation of women in leadership positions, relative to the demographics of the profession. Practical changes to federal industrial laws are also recommended to ensure equal remuneration for men and women doing work of equal or comparable value. 3. Women and the new industrial relations laws The new Fair Work Bill (FWB) will restore balance to Australian workplaces and introduces some new protections against discriminatory treatment at work. Changes in the FWB of particular interest to women are: New national employment standards allowing extended parental leave and flexible work for parents; Empowering Fair Work Australia to make pay orders to address failure of awards or agreements to provide equal pay for work of equal or comparable value; and Inclusion of a ‘low paid bargaining stream’ mechanism for low paid employees to improve their wages and conditions. Chapter actions requested As part of International Women’s Day celebrations, chapters are asked to: Hold a celebratory IWD morning tea on Monday, 9 March 2009 (Chapters submitting articles or photos of their IWD morning teas for inclusion in “The Independent Voice” should email these to frichardson@qieu.asn.au); Return the fax back in support of our national union’s Pay Equity submission; and Get online and support the ACTU’s Paid Parental Leave campaign by completing the digital petition and forwarding your comments to your local federal MP. Strong unions need the contribution of women. There is much you can do right now to build the strength of our union in your own school, so that we continue to make our voices heard on both industrial and professional matters. Urge our colleagues to join us in QIEU (or to renew their membership); Talk to our colleagues about enhancements to family-friendly provisions we want to improve through collective bargaining; Build a union culture in our schools by organising activities to demonstrate that we stand together in our concern about work and professional issues; and Consider joining the QIEU Equity Committee. QIEU members can make International Women’s Day a time to celebrate our past achievements but also an opportunity to help create fairer future in which all women and girls can develop their full potential. Kind Regards
TERRY BURKE GENERAL SECRETARY
Show Your Support for Pay Equity!
CHAPTER FAX BACK School Name:
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Suburb / Town:
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A submission to the federal parliamentary inquiry into Pay Equity has been lodged by our national union, the Independent Education Union of Australia (IEUA). The IEUA submission recommends practical changes to federal industrial laws to ensure equal remuneration for men and women doing work of equal or comparable value. Key elements affecting pay equity for women working in the non-government education sector have been identified as: 1) Lack of appropriate recognition of women’s work value and skills; 2) Lack of flexible work practices; and 3) Lack of adequate representation of women in leadership positions, relative to the demographics of the profession.
RESOLUTION The QIEU chapter at ________________________________ supports Pay Equity for Australian women workers. We call on members of the federal parliamentary inquiry into Pay Equity to favourably consider the IEUA recommendations for practical changes to federal industrial relations laws that will deliver equal remuneration for men and women doing work of equal or comparable value. CARRIED / NOT CARRIED
IT’S TIME TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! Chapters are urged to lend support to our national union’s Pay Equity submission at the upcoming public hearings in Brisbane. You can do this by simply endorsing the resolution above and faxing it to QIEU on 3839 7021 by Friday, 20 March 2009. To view a full copy of the IEUA Pay Equity submission, please go to the website at www.ieu.org.au home page, then choose ‘Policy and Submissions’ / ‘Equity Issues’ / ‘Pay Equity Submission’
Are you passionate about equity issues?
Join the QIEU Equity Committee! The QIEU Equity Committee analyses the impact of social justice, gender and equity issues relevant to school workplaces and develops strategies to address members’ concerns.
If you are interested in contributing to research and campaigns in support of the enhancement of family-friendly provisions and other equity issues – the QIEU Equity Committee is for you!
DO YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE? QIEU members interested in participating in this committee can contact Ros McLennan (Assistant General Secretary) on 1800 177 937 or rmclennan@qieu.asn.au The committee meets regularly, with meetings beginning at 4:30 pm. Participants from around the state attend either in person or via teleconference. PLEASE DISPLAY THIS NOTICE IN YOUR STAFF ROOM