Women in the workforceWomen in the workforce

Julia PerryJulia Perry

National Foundation for Australian National Foundation for Australian WomenWomen

To ensure that the aims and ideals of the To ensure that the aims and ideals of the Women's Movement and its collective Women's Movement and its collective wisdom are handed on to new wisdom are handed on to new generations of women; and generations of women; and

To advance and protect the interests of To advance and protect the interests of Australian women in all spheres, Australian women in all spheres, including intellectual, cultural, political, including intellectual, cultural, political, social, economic, legal, industrial and social, economic, legal, industrial and domestic spheres. domestic spheres.

What NFAW doesWhat NFAW does discussion and debate discussion and debate promotes research and collection of informationpromotes research and collection of information supplies information to broad Women's Movementsupplies information to broad Women's Movement links/communication between women's organisations links/communication between women's organisations monitors and reports on the situation of women; monitors and reports on the situation of women; encourages studies, research, conferences, seminars encourages studies, research, conferences, seminars sponsors lectures sponsors lectures promotes co-operation to advance the interests of promotes co-operation to advance the interests of

women; women; other general action to advance interests of Australian other general action to advance interests of Australian

womenwomen

http://www.nfaw.orghttp://www.nfaw.org

NFAW - Recent CampaignsNFAW - Recent Campaigns

WorkchoicesWorkchoices Welfare to WorkWelfare to Work Paid maternity/Parental leavePaid maternity/Parental leave Child care: outside school hours careChild care: outside school hours care Sex discriminationSex discrimination Gender pay equityGender pay equity

Women’s financial disadvantagesWomen’s financial disadvantages

Fewer in employmentFewer in employment Wage differentials across the boardWage differentials across the board Concentration in traditional women’s workConcentration in traditional women’s work Fewer own a business, fewer still own one with Fewer own a business, fewer still own one with

employees employees Weak industrial bargaining powerWeak industrial bargaining power Lack of paid maternity leaveLack of paid maternity leave Casualisation and part-time workCasualisation and part-time work Lack of family friendly working conditionsLack of family friendly working conditions Inadequate child careInadequate child care

   

Employed men and women by industry - July 2008

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000

Agriculture, forestry and fishing

Mining

Manufacturing

Electricity, gas and water supply

Construction

Wholesale trade

Retail trade

Accommodation, cafes and restaurants

Transport and storage

Communication services

Finance and insurance

Property and business services

Government administration and defence

Education

Health and community services

Cultural and recreational services

Personal and other services

'000

Men Women

Employed men and women by occupation - July 2008

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

Managers and administrators

Professionals

Associate professionals

Tradespersons and related workers

Adv. clerical and service workers

Intermed. clerical, sales and service workers

Intermed. production and transport workers

Elemen. clerical, sales and service workers

Labourers and related workers

'000

Men Women

Labour force status - women aged 20-59 - 1996-2006

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%1

96

6

19

69

19

72

19

75

19

78

19

81

19

84

19

87

19

90

19

93

19

96

19

99

20

02

20

05

% o

f po

pu

latio

n

unemployed

part-time

full-time

Labour force status - men aged 20-59 - 1996-2006

0%

10%20%

30%

40%50%

60%

70%

80%90%

100%

19

66

19

69

19

72

19

75

19

78

19

81

19

84

19

87

19

90

19

93

19

96

19

99

20

02

20

05

% o

f po

pu

latio

n

unemployed

part-time

full-time

Key labour force statisticsKey labour force statisticsWomen Men

Part-time work (% of employed aged 20-59) 30% 4%

Full-time work (% of employed aged 20-59) 70% 96%

Total work (% of population) 70% 85%

Owner managers (% of employed) 13% 23%

Casual (% of employees) 25% 16%

Permanent (% of employees) 75% 84%

Average full time ordinary time earnings (Feb 2008) $1,190 $1,003 84.3%

Total average weekly earnings (Feb 2008) $1,065 $695 65.3%

The gender penaltyThe gender penalty

Women Men

Proportion aged 55-64 with super (2002) 53% 69%

Amount of super, aged 55-64 (2002) $ 94,700 $

183,600

Age pension (2004) 1,115,2251,115,225 761,025761,025

Other income support payments (2004) 1,474,7931,474,793 1,076,0021,076,002

Total 2,590,0182,590,018 1,837,0271,837,027

Work choices and womenWork choices and women No disadvantage test took away award protectionNo disadvantage test took away award protection Individual bargaining disadvantageous to women & Individual bargaining disadvantageous to women &

family friendly conditionsfamily friendly conditions Reduced rights to union supportReduced rights to union support Industrial tribunals lost role of wage adjustment and test Industrial tribunals lost role of wage adjustment and test

case reformscase reforms Removal of State jurisdictionRemoval of State jurisdiction No pattern bargaining – women in SMEsNo pattern bargaining – women in SMEs No unfair dismissal encouraged covert discrimination No unfair dismissal encouraged covert discrimination

and harassment and harassment Welfare to Work – parents could not turn down job Welfare to Work – parents could not turn down job

Workplace Relations Amendment Workplace Relations Amendment (Transition to Forward with Fairness) Act (Transition to Forward with Fairness) Act

20082008 no new AWAsno new AWAs Individual Transitional Employment Individual Transitional Employment

AgreementsAgreements no-disadvantage test for future workplace no-disadvantage test for future workplace

agreementsagreements AIRC to start modernising awards.AIRC to start modernising awards.

Award Modernisation – allowable Award Modernisation – allowable conditionsconditions

Maximum weekly hours of work Request for flexible working arrangements Parental leave and related entitlements Annual leave Personal/Carer’s leave and compassionate leave Community service leave Long service leave Public holidays Notice of termination and redundancy pay Fair Work Information Statement

What next in IR?What next in IR?

Unfair dismissalsUnfair dismissals Rights of unions and membersRights of unions and members Pattern bargainingPattern bargaining Better protection of casual workersBetter protection of casual workers Regular adjustment of awardsRegular adjustment of awards Test cases to deal with new issues Test cases to deal with new issues Gender pay equityGender pay equity Who adjudicates disputes?Who adjudicates disputes?

Paid parental leavePaid parental leave

Social and economic reproductionSocial and economic reproduction Equality for womenEquality for women Benefits to babies and parentsBenefits to babies and parents Long term benefits – health, emotional, Long term benefits – health, emotional,

cognitive, socialcognitive, social Role of fathers and paternity leaveRole of fathers and paternity leave

PML modelsPML models

Fully Government paid – minimum wage?Fully Government paid – minimum wage? Likely to be inadequate flat rateLikely to be inadequate flat rate

Direct employer paid – like other forms of Direct employer paid – like other forms of leaveleave Serious danger of discriminationSerious danger of discrimination

Insurance based scheme – employer levy Insurance based scheme – employer levy and government contributionand government contribution