Biggest Day of Action since the 1970s on Equal Pay

MEDIA OPPORTUNITY - NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION

Media Opportunity: National Day of Community Sector Action

Who: ASU Secretary Katrine Hildyard and Community Sector Workers
Where:SA - Pioneer Women's Memorial Gardens - behind Government House, then walking to Parliament House
NT - Raintree Park, Darwin
When: 11.00am, Thursday 10 June

Hundreds of equal pay supporters will rally in Adelaide and Darwin at 11.00am this Thursday, along with tens of thousands of others in capital cities across Australia. The National Day of Community Sector Action will be the biggest action since the 1970s on the issue of equal pay where a shocking divide of inequity still remains. Women in full time paid work earn 18 per cent less on average than men, which equates to $1 million less over a lifetime. The Australian Services Union・s pay equity test case with Fair Work Australia will address lower pay among community sector workers, who are the professionals that all Australians rely on in times of individual or community crisis.

The ASU SA and NT Branch Secretary Katrine Hildyard said 85% of community sector workers are women, deeply committed to working at the coalface of need with some of our most vulnerable citizens.

：Issues like family and domestic violence, child abuse and homelessness are all in a day・s work for these women and yet they are paid 37 per cent less than those doing the same job in the public service and hospitals.

：These workers are crucial to the health of our communities and yet they are paid so poorly that they are often eligible for the very welfare benefits their clients receive.

：Politicians must recognise the workers in these services better by agreeing to fully fund the outcomes of the pay equity case currently being run for the social and community services sector.

：The ASU is committed to campaigning for as long as it takes to secure pay equity for community services workers. Achieving pay equity must be a priority for state, territory and federal governments. Without improved wages and the resultant improvement in attraction and retention of skilled workers to the sector, the community services sector will simply no longer be able to provide quality services to our most vulnerable and disadvantaged citizens.；

See below - also attached Media Release from ASU National

For further information: Katrine Hildyard, Branch Secretary, ASU (SA and NT Branch), mobile 0418 847 865. Media: Zoe Porter, 0423 377 567

Authorised and published by Katrine Hildyard, Branch Secretary & Ian Steel, Branch Assistant Secretary Australian Services Union South Australian & Northern Territory Branch
5-9 Rundle Street, Kent Town South Australia, Australia 5067
p: 83631322 f: 8363 2225 e: union@asu-sant.asn.au w: asu-sant.asn.au

Download File:
[ pdf ]