September 4 is Equal Pay Day . This date represents the number of extra days women have to work after the financial year to earn the same as men.
But wasn't this fight won in the 1970s? In the 1970s it became illegal to pay a woman less for doing the same job as a man, so many think women achieved equal pay, but in 2010 Australian women still do not have pay equity.
As of February 2010, the gender pay gap was 18 per cent, an increase of 1.5 per cent from the year before, the highest it has been since 1994.
Women's work is still undervalued in Australian society and this can been seen in female dominated professions. Often these are not as valued as professions dominated by men.
Teaching is a highly feminised profession and continues to be undervalued, but teachers are not the only ones.
For more information on Equal Pay Day and to access resources visit the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) Pay Equity website.
Great poster, Sally; do you think anyone will listen?!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Sally.
ReplyDeleteI was there in the streets in 1970 and it seems like we will still be fighting the same battle 40 years later. The only difference is that in 1970, women in the public service FORMALLY received 93% of men's wages - now the gender salary gap is less institutionalised.
ReplyDeleteAnd another thing. When most Australians were protected by unions, peoples' salaries were all visible and able to be compared. Now under secret individul contracts, every woman is isolated in the battle for wage parity.
I think we are going backwards :(
Same difference in France....
ReplyDeletesigh!
Love the poster !