Fair Work Australia decision welcome but WA workers need surety

WA Greens spokesperson for Industrial Relations and Women, Hon Alison Xamon MLC, today welcomed Fair Work Australia’s decision to grant the equal remuneration order sought by community sector workers.

Fair Work today ordered that the wages of non-government community sector workers be increased by between 19 and 41 per cent over an eight year period from December.

“This is a really important step in addressing the appalling disparity between men and women’s pays” said Ms Xamon. “Non-government workers in the community services sector have been underpaid for too long”.

Fair Work’s decision confirms that an important factor of the wage discrepancy is the undervaluing of a workforce that traditionally consists largely of women.

Ms Xamon called on Premier Barnett to also provide equal remuneration surety to those working under the state industrial relations system by committing his support for her Pay Equity Bill.  The Bill, introduced into Parliament last year, seeks to ensure that a pay equity claim, similar to that run under Fair Work, can also be run under the state system.

“The Industrial Relations (Equal Remuneration) Amendment Bill 2011 is an important piece of legislation that will allow for the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission to hear pay equity cases and to make enforceable equal remuneration orders. Without these amendments there is no guarantee that WA workers have the same protections as their counterparts under Fair Work Australia,” said Ms Xamon.

“Today’s announcement is a welcome win for workers.  But we need to ensure that all workers are able to access these provisions and they shouldn’t miss out simply because they are covered by a state award rather than a federal one, Ms Xamon concluded.