Thousands rally for equal pay
The AEU was among the many union and community groups, peak bodies and community workers who rallied today as part of a national day of action in the Equal Pay campaign.
Thousands of disability and community workers marched with their unions from Federation Square to the steps of Parliament House with one loud and clear message: the Victorian Government must put its money where its mouth is and give community workers the equal pay they deserve.
The government must commit to lifting funding for the disability and community sector and fund any pay increase in line with to emerge from a Fair Work Australia decision. The AEU is running the Wake Up & Pay Up campaign, demanding better pay for disability workers.
The union is involved in the joint unions' case to Fair Work Australia, seeking to obtain similar pay increases in Day Services to those awarded in Queensland in 2009 where the decision was made to increase wages by between 18 and 37%. It was argued that the work had been systematically undervalued over time as a result of the largely feminised nature of the industry.
On average Australian women are paid 17% less than men. Those in the low-paid disability and community services, working with some of the most disadvantaged people in our community, are worse affected than most.
Should the government fail to commit to the pay increase there will be another National Day of Action on November 19.
The union The AEU website's Wake Up & Pay Up page has more information about the campaign and how to get involved.
Read the ABC Online report about today's Melbourne rally.
