The AMWU today supported community services sector workers in the fight for equal pay for women and the community sector overall.

AMWU members attended rallies and marches across Australia, joining thousands of workers from the Australian Services Union (ASU), Australian Education Union (AEU), Health and Community Services Union (HACSU), Australian Nurses Federation (ANF), and many more.

In 2010, women continue to be paid on average 18% less than men, while the work of carers, social workers and other non-government community workers continues to be underpaid in relation to public sector workers and workers from other industries.

As women make up the vast majority of the not-for-profit community sector workforce in Australia, this industry has suffered from both the undervaluing of women’s work in general, and community work in particular.

Today’s ‘Equal Work for Equal Pay’ rally and march highlighted this inequity and demanded equal pay for workers in the not for profit community and disability sector.

At the Melbourne rally held in Federation Square, Linda White, Vice President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions and ASU Assistant National Secretary, spoke to the four thousand-strong crowd.

“Today I know we can bring justice to the community services sector. And we will do it.

“If the turn-out today is any indication, I know we will absolutely do it.”

Other speakers at the rally included Joy Stevens, a community sector worker for nearly 25 years. With multiple degrees and years of professional experience, Joy still struggles to meet her bills and mortgage repayments on a community sector wage.

“I’m proud of the work that I do, and I get a great sense of satisfaction for doing it. But job satisfaction does not pay my bills or my mortgage. I love the work that I do, but it doesn’t support my family.

“The gap between what we earn in the community sector, and what we could earn somewhere else is now so big, that it is forcing great community workers to leave jobs that they love, because they can no longer afford to stay.

“That means that clients and services are suffering. That means that our community is suffering. And our community deserves better”, she said.

Donna Hristodoulidis, AMWU Organiser and member of the ACTU’s committee for Women in Male-Dominated Occupations and Industry (WIMDOI), also attended the rally. She said:

“We believe in a fair go for everyone. That’s been part of our union values since 1851. Today we had women and male AMWU activists chanting in the street for equal pay for equal work.

“We stand today in solidarity with our brothers and sisters within the community sector to close the pay gap there, and we’re also continuing to encourage more women apprentices and delegates so we can close the pay gap within the trades and technical occupations as well.”

The community sector equal pay campaign is being underpinned by an ACTU-supported Fair Work Australia test case currently being lodged by unions led by the ASU. This case will impact the lives of around 200 000 community sector workers and test the new Equal Remuneration Laws embedded in the Fair Work Act.

A National Day of Action of all community workers is planned for November 19 depending on the outcome of the FWA case and whether the campaign’s demands are met.