WEL and the National Pay equity Coalition appear before the House of Representatives Committee Inquiring into Pay Equity

13 May 2009

Women are low paid because their work is not valued
Issued by: House of Representatives Liaison & Projects Office

“Some commentators have argued that the pay equity problem can be explained by the fact that women work less hours and that they work in low paid jobs. While women do work less hours, the nub of the problem is that they are low paid because their work is not properly valued” is one of the key points made by the National Pay Equity Coalition (NPEC) and the Women’s Electoral Lobby (WEL) in their joint submission to the House of Representatives Employment and Workplace Relations Committee’s inquiry into pay equity and associated issues related to increasing female participation in the workforce.

In their submission, NPEC and WEL make recommendations to “strengthen and improve the industrial framework and other legal mechanisms that address equal pay”, particularly equal remuneration provisions, the application of equal remuneration objects of the Award Modernisation Act in the award modernization process, and the strengthening on minimum entitlements and collective bargaining processes.

Committee Chair, Ms Sharryn Jackson said, “With two of the Committee’s terms of reference specifically referring to: the adequacy of federal and state equal remuneration legislation, and the need for further legislative reform, the Committee is looking forward to discussing with NPEC and WEL their views on the new legislative framework”.

Representatives of NPEC and WEL will provide evidence before the House Employment and Workplace Relations Committee in Committee Room 1R3 Parliament House Canberra on Thursday 14 May from 11.15 am to discuss their submission and other factors that may impact disproportionately on women’s employment options, and the adequacy of current data to reliably monitor employment changes that may impact on pay equity issues.

The Committee will continue to welcome submissions to the inquiry.

Further details on the inquiry, including the terms of reference, background documents, membership of the Committee and advice on making submissions can be obtained on the Committee’s website at http://www.aph.gov.au/ewr, by contacting the committee secretariat on (02) 6277 4162 or emailing ewr.reps@aph.gov.au. This hearing will be webcast live (audio only) on: http://webcast.aph.gov.au/livebroadcasting/

For media comment, please contact the Committee Chair, Sharryn Jackson, on (02) 6277 4044

For background information, contact the Committee Secretary, on (02) 6277 4162