Women’s Rights at Work – Worth Fighting For

The union that looks after NSW public servants and general staff at universities, the Public Service Association, is holding its Annual Women’s Conference on the 8th and 9th September.

The Conference is being held at the Masonic Centre, 66 Goulburn Street Sydney.

This years Conference is focused on the impact that the Federal Government's proposed industrial relations changes will have on Australian women and their families.

It is also 75 years since the Associations Women's Council was formed. Since then there have been many advances made for women in the workplace.

Women have gained equal pay for equal work. Later in 2002 the PSA won the first pay equity case for librarians and archivists employed in the NSW public sector.

In 1969 the marriage bar for women in the NSW public service was removed.

Paid maternity leave, flexible working hours, job share, part time work and carers leave have made it a bit easier for many women public servants to balance their work and family responsibilities.

PSA President Sue Walsh is concerned that the Federal Governments industrial relations changes will put many of the gains made for women over the years under threat.

"For over 75 years the PSA's Women's Council have been campaigning to improve the working lives of women. Now with the Federal industrial relations changes looming, hard won gains such as pay equity, flexible working hours, carers leave and paid parental leave are all under threat."

Alison Peters, Deputy Assistant Secretary Unions NSW and Anne Summers will be speaking at the Conference on Thursday.

At 11.20 on Friday Tanya Plibersek the Federal Shadow Minister for Work, Family and Community, Shadow Minister for Women, Shadow Minister for Youth and Early Childhood Education, will be speaking.

Sue Walsh
PSA President
Anne Kennelly
Women's Industrial Officer