Who's Serving Who?
"I am scandalised that as we celebrate Equal Pay Day today, there is still a significant pay gap for women doing the same job as men in our country!" said Dr Morris, CEO, Baptistcare. "What does this say about how we value women in our society and in this country?"
"Despite Equal Pay Day being held on the 1st September 2011, women working full-time in Australia are paid on average 17.2% less than men for doing the same work. For some women in Western Australia and in some sectors the gap is over 30%. This is unacceptable."
"Baptistcare’s is a significant provider of human services employing over 1350 people in the Not-for-Profit sector and we have a responsibility to advocate for change".
This inequality means there is less money for child care, food, housing and education especially for many poor and struggling families.
Companies are saving money by employing a woman who they can pay less than they would a man. This is at a time when women make up 45.6% of the total labour force and are contributing equally, along with their male colleagues, to keeping this country ahead of a recession.
And it starts at the commencement of the career with our female graduates earning $2,000 less than male graduates on entering the workforce.
As they move up the career ladder, women are still far less likely to be on boards, as Board Chairs, or appointed as CEOs, or executive managers. With this profile, Boards do not represent their workforce and they are short changing themselves by not benefiting from the skills and talents of women contributing to the health and wellbeing of their companies.
While people find excuses for the discrepancy, it is direct discrimination based on gender. How many fathers have to find excuses to tell their daughters that the workforce they are about to enter will discriminate against them and privilege their sons and brothers? It seems our society is comfortable to let this entrenched behaviour continue and ethically, leaders, companies and governments turn their heads away as they can.
In the Not-for-Profit Human Services Sector, the impact of this discrimination is seen in the help sought by families for family assistance, in the levels and type of work that women have to do, sometimes two or three jobs to make ends meet. The level of pay in the NFP sector is significantly lower than that in other sectors. The Equity Pay Case currently being considered by Fair Work Australia acknowledges the discrepancy which is based on gender. We urge our Governments to provide the leadership essential to end this discrimination.
On 1st September 2011, let Australia agree that this cannot continue and find the will and commitment to change the discrimination.
Dr Lucy Morris
Chief Executive Officer
100 Welshpool Road, Welshpool
P 08 9282 8600