Better funding for State Community Services Workers is Overdue says Hartland

Greens MP Colleen Hartland will join the Respect Rally at 11am tomorrow in Parliament Gardens, organised by the Australian Services Union (ASU) as part of their campaign to increase the wages of employees in the community and services sector.  

“Non-government community workers in Victoria are paid $10,000 to $15,000 a year less than those in similar government organisations.  The Respect Rally represents an important opportunity for employees, their families and the wider community to demand recognition and pay equity for workers” said Colleen Hartland.    

"Currently, the wages are lousy and the Government needs to address this by allocating sufficient funding in the next State Budget.”

“These are skilled people, specialists, who encounter difficult and stressful circumstances often on a daily basis.  Financial hardship cases have escalated due to the economic downturn and this translates to ballooning workloads.  Many have postgraduate qualifications and their pay doesn’t come close to respecting their dedication and commitment” Ms Hartland said.  

“This is not just about the value we put on community work and service users but the value we put on women workers.  The social and community sector employs more than 200,000 people, of whom 87 per cent are women.  If this was a male dominated sector, they wouldn't be getting such crap pay.”

“If the State Government is serious about gender pay disparity then it should support the sectors request for a pay rise.  Making equal pay for women a condition of all funding and services agreements would also assist in better outcomes for qualified women working in the social and community sector.  I have a motion before parliament on equal pay for women” said Ms Hartland.

“The disparity between the pay packets of government and non-government workers needs to be addressed and I encourage everyone who is passionate about gender and pay equity to join us at the Respect Rally tomorrow in Parliament Gardens”    

Respect Rally – 11:00am @ Parliament Gardens

Further Comment: Colleen Hartland – 9689 6373