Media Release
At today's Labour Day rally in Brisbane the Greens will announce a plan for decisive action to close the gender pay gap by raising wages in industries dominated by women like nursing, childcare, and education.
Women have been fighting for economic equality for decades but the gap between the average earnings of women and men in the workforce remains stubbornly wide.
The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) says women on average take home $255.30 or 13.8% less a week than men, a problem that persists due to discrimination; lack of workplace flexibility; women doing a far greater share of unpaid caring and domestic work; career progression being stymied by time out of the workforce for caring and parenting; and women-dominated sectors attracting lower wages.
In a recent white paper, national women's alliance, Economic Security 4 Women, estimated that providing annual wage increases for female-dominated industries of 0.5% above the consumer price index (CPI) for 10 years alone could lower the gender pay gap below 10%. Other measures previously announced by the Greens would close the gap even further.
ABS and WGEA records show healthcare, social assistance, education and training roles have remained female-dominated for the past two decades. The Greens will raise wages under a number of awards covering these sectors.
This initiative sits alongside our previously announced Economic Security for Women and Ending Violence Against Women policies, and announcements on support for wage rises in the aged care sector.
As stated by Greens deputy leader and spokesperson on women Senator Larissa Waters:
"Women have been fighting for pay equality for decades but the gulf remains.
"WGEA says that on current trends Australian women are still 26 years away from pay parity. We can't wait that long!
"The gender pay gap is a product of systemic and cultural factors like workplace discrimination, lack of workplace flexibility, the cost and availability of childcare, and impact of taking time out for caring work. These are all things that can and must be changed, and the Greens have already launched policies this election to address these.
"But the gap is also driven by the fact sectors dominated by women, like teaching, childcare, and nursing, are still appallingly undervalued. We saw throughout the pandemic how critical these roles are and wages paid in these sectors need to reflect that.
"The Greens' plan is simple: we will make sure women are paid more by paying them more.
"With above average wage increases over 10 years in women-dominated industries we can close the gender pay gap faster, providing a much-needed boost to women's economic security and ensuring we can attract and retain staff in these critical sectors.
"Higher wages in these sectors will also increase revenue by $3 billion over the forward estimates as we improve the shape of the economy.
"Women have had enough of a government that talks about fiscal responsibility when it comes to wages and women's economic needs, but whips out its cheque book the moment one of its coal or gas donors comes knocking with their hand out.
"The gender pay gap will not close without decisive, targeted action. In balance of power after the election the Greens will push the next government to deliver the pay equality and economic security that all women deserve."
As stated by Greens lead Senate candidate for Queensland Penny Allman-Payne:
"I've taught in public schools for 25 years and I've seen how successive governments have consistently undervalued the work of educators.
"Everyone knows the critical role teachers and teacher aides play in our community. The work is demanding, complex and often emotionally draining, and it's high time that pay packets reflected that.
"Increasing award wages in the education sector will not only directly benefit teaching staff covered by awards, including teacher aides, but it will also put upward pressure on the salaries of teachers covered by enterprise agreements."
As stated by authors of the Economic Security For Women paper on Women and the Future of Work, economist, Stephen Koukoulas, and Angela Tomazos, Director of Policy, BPW Australia
"Our survey, roundtable discussions and research found that women do not have confidence that
current policy settings value caring work and the value of work in female-led sectors at the same rate
as non-care work.
"We pay people more to push a wheelbarrow than to push a wheelchair.
"Without decisive structural change, over their lifetimes women will continue to earn less than men, retire with less superannuation and face higher risks of poverty and homelessness in their old age.
"We know this approach works. Wages under the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Award were increased over 10 years to reflect the systemic undervaluation of care work in those sectors. That incremental growth has boosted worker pay, valued critical work, and improved sector sustainability.
"In addition to impacting the pay gap, such policy change would provide an important economic stimulus and, over time, attract more highly skilled workers to these important sectors."
