In recent years, union members have achieved important improvements for working women in areas like pay equity, superannuation, and workplace conditions. Many of these workplace rights and reforms have been introduced by the federal Labor government since 2022.
Here’s a handy summary of some notable achievements
Multi-employer bargaining and early childhood sector wage justice
Union campaigns delivered multi-employer bargaining to feminised sectors like early childhood education. Collective bargaining through the federal government’s fairer laws, and 15% pay rise for long day care teachers and educators, recognises a previously undervalued but essential workforce.
Narrowing the gender pay gap
Improved working rights and federal government wage reforms have helped cut the gender pay gap to its lowest level on record. WGEA’s Gender Equality Scorecard (Nov. 2024) shows good progress and unions are committed to abolishing gender pay inequality for good. Since 2022, the gender pay gap has been closing at a rate of 1.3 per cent per year, compared to 0.4 per cent, under successive Coalition governments.
Domestic violence initiatives and funding
The IEU was one of the first unions to secure paid domestic and family violence leave through bargaining. These wins, combined with federal government emergency support payments, will save lives.
Supporting women and girls’ safety in schools
The IEU called for governments and employers to act urgently to end the gendered harassment of women teachers, and implement the important recommendations of the recent Sexual Harassment of Teachers Report.
Expansion of paid parental leave
Under new laws that passed Parliament in March 2024, paid parental leave is increasing to 24 weeks on 1 July 2025 and 26 weeks on 1 July 2026. Expansion of paid parental leave is an important step towards closing the gender pay gap and supporting women’s workforce participation.
Superannuation paid on parental leave
The government’s plan to pay superannuation on parental leave will help reduce the retirement pay gap that relegates many women to poverty after work. Superannuation on government-funded Parental Leave Pay will commence on 1 July 2025.
Right to disconnect from work
New right to disconnect laws followed union campaigns for the Closing the Loopholes Bill. A right to disconnect is particularly valuable for IEU’s members as women workers, already overburdened at work, continue to also carry the majority of family and caring responsibilities.
Successful and growing unions driven by feminised industries
Improvements to pay and conditions in feminised industries is directly linked to the growth and success of our largest unions. Feminised occupations and industries are the future of the Australian union movement.
A union member in 2024 is an IEU member – a female, white collar, tertiary-qualified professional.
Employers now have a positive duty to protect staff
As a result of pressure from unions including the IEU, positive duty reforms to the Sex Discrimination Act were introduced in December 2022. Employers now have a positive duty to prevent sex-based harassment and discrimination requiring them to take proactive, preventative action.
Stronger rights to request flexible work
The federal government’s new worker-friendly laws ensure that employer rejection of requests for flexible work arrangements can no longer be based on weak and insubstantial reasons.
More to do: Reproductive health leave
Reproductive health leave supports all working people with paid leave to manage conditions like menopause, perimenopause or endometriosis and access treatments such as In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and vasectomy.
Many IEU members have access to paid reproductive health leave in their collective agreements. This should be available to all Australian workers through the National Employment Standards (NES).
While there is more to do, the IEU believes the current federal Labor government has implemented a positive agenda for working people, especially women. IEU members’ working rights are at risk if there is a change of government.
While the IEU is not affiliated with any political party and does not make donations to political parties, we do have a responsibility to monitor the industrial landscape and advocate for the best outcomes for members.
Read more about protecting your rights at work this federal election.