Paid parental leave is an important right for all of us

Not all workers become parents but at some stage, we were all babies in need of 24/7 care from our parents. More and more research is showing that the availability and the quality of that care can have far reaching consequences for the nature of our society.

Mum's rights at work - worth fighting for

This is one of the very basic reasons why a scheme of paid parental leave is such an important achievement that we must fight for right now. As one of only two OECD countries to not have a scheme of paid parental leave, it's getting beyond a disgrace.

And it's not just about benefits for babies and society in general, there are more direct pay offs for employers, too. Paid parental leave has been shown to encourage valuable skilled workers back into work when the initial baby caring needs have passed. Australia has a skills crisis, haven't you heard?!

On the very odd occasion, a bright boss steps in and offers paid parental leave but it is more usually the hard work of unions like the ASU that wins it for a small proportion of workers. But negotiating employer by employer is never going to bring a universal scheme that is fair for everyone.

That's why we are fighting so hard now, before the Productivity Commission hearings, with written submissions and in getting the message out to you, members and friends.

You can read more about this issue in our news on the ASU National Net by clicking the link below, but we encourage you all to make your elected representatives aware of your views.

Paul Slape, ASU National Secretary

National Net News: 14 weeks paid maternity leave for all women