MEU Steps Up Pay Equity Campaign

Date: 09 April 2002

The Municipal Employees Union is pursuing a pay equity campaign for local government workers.

The campaign will address an award anomaly which presently requires community services staff within the mid admin/technical/trades salary bands of the Local Government (State) Award and above to work a 38 hour week. Comparable positions in engineering and other male dominated work areas attract a 35 hour week. This basic award anomaly adversely effects the hourly rate of pay for women in many community services positions.

The Union has also called upon the Local Government and Shires Associations to conduct a joint review into pay rates and job evaluation outcomes for local government librarians. This review shall examine the indicative classifications under the award and the use of job evaluation schemes in the industry.

According to MEU General Secretary Brian Harris the MEU has been campaigning for pay equity through local agreements for several years. "We have been examining the anomalies in each council and have had success in several major councils through united rank and file campaigns, however it's now time to push the campaign across the board."

"The MEU's Womens Committee has endorsed a timetable for the filing of an equal remuneration application before the NSW Industrial Relations Commission regarding community services staff," said Mr Harris.

Mr Harris says that the MEU is concerned that the consequences of contracting out local government services in countries like the UK and New Zealand has worked against many pay equity gains. "The MEU has been fighting Competitive Tendering and we will continue to fight it, even more so if it threatens any gains made for female members in the past. It's time female workers were paid equally and we will certainly not tolerate a system that actually reduces pay equity."

More more information please contact MEU Research Officer Lyn Fraser on 0408 492737 or 9265 8211 or MEU Women's Officer Julie Griffiths on 0419 128 497.

For further information

Contact:	Brian Harris
Union:	Municipal Employees Union
Phone:	(02) 9265 8211
Fax:	(02) 9261 2265
Email:	help@meu.org.au
WWW:	http://www.meu.org.au

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