Why Are Australian Women Still Being Paid Less Than Men?

Friday 31 August 2018 is Equal Pay Day.

This date illustrates the 62 additional days from the end of the previous financial year that women must work to earn the same amount as men earn in twelve months.

Equal Pay Day is an important reminder of the continuing barriers women face in accessing the same opportunities and benefits as men in Australian workplaces

National Gender Pay Gap.  No Room For Complacency

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) has calculated the national gender pay gap as 14.6% for full-time employees; a difference of $244.80 per week. While this figure has declined from 15.3% in the past 12 months, we cannot become complacent. There is still much work to do as the national equal pay gap has hovered between 15% and 19% for the past two decades.

 The gender pay gap is a symptom of a broader issue. It reflects the fact that women’s work is traditionally undervalued and women are often paid less than men. Average full time salaries are lower for women than men in every occupation and industry in Australia. Women are under-represented in senior executive and management roles and female dominated occupations and industries attract lower pay than male dominated ones.

Read more: IEU Speaks on Pay Equity Day