Unions NSW Online Community Labor Council Womens Committee Minutes 30/08/01

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF

THE LABOR COUNCIL WOMEN'S COMMITTEE

HELD AT 10.00AM ON FRIDAY, 3^rd AUGUST, 2001

Present:

Alison Peters

Pam Smith

Sonja Milinkovic

Angela D'Amore

Jo Tilly

Caitlin Vaughan

Angela Whitton

Claire McAuley

Labor Council

IEU

NSW Teachers Federation

NSW Nurses' Association

PSA

Working Women's Centre

Police Association

In Attendance:

Pru Goward

Sally Moyle

Sex Discrimination Commissioner

HREOC Sex Discrimination Unit

Apologies:

Joan Templeman

Catherine Bolger

Patricia Fernandez

ASU (Services)

APESMA

AMIEU

ADDRESS BY SALLY MOYLE AND PRU GOWARD

Sally Moyle addressed the meeting regarding the role of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) and in particular the work of the Sex Discrimination Commissioner.

Sally particularly drew attention to the remedies available to women workers under the various legislation administered by HREOC and the options this gave unions in dealing with issues of workplace discrimination. It was noted that unions have tended to pursue such issues through "traditional" industrial relations avenues and have not fully utilised the processes available to them under discrimination legislation.

Pru Goward advised the meeting that she had only just taken up her appointment as Sex Discrimination Commissioner and was keen to consult widely with women regarding priorities.

She understood that the issue of paid maternity leave was a priority for the union movement and indicated that she would be seeking Government support for her Office to develop an options paper on the matter.

Pru also advised that she would be intervening in the "Bishops case" before the High Court where the Catholic Church was arguing that State legislation limiting access to IVF treatment to heterosexual couples should not be considered contrary to the Sex Discrimination Act. If this argument were to be successful there would be significant implications for the future effectiveness of the Act in preventing sex-based discrimination.

There was general discussion about how the Labor Council and its affiliates could work with Ms Goward and HREOC on issues affecting women workers. Those present identified paid maternity leave, work and family issues and pay equity as major issues. In particular, there was growing concern that flexibility at work which allows parents to look after young children (or for others to look after elderly or sick relatives) was really only available to the "valuable" employees with the overwhelming majority of workers unable to access such provisions in a meaningful or useful way.

Alison Peters thanked Ms Goward and Ms Moyle for attending the meeting and for their frank comments.

It was agreed that regular contact between Labor Council, on behalf of its affiliates, and the Sex Discrimination Unit of HREOC should be instituted to allow exchange of ideas and the development of practical strategies to achieve discrimination free workplaces.

NEXT MEETING

10.00am,Friday, 5^th October.
CONCLUSION

The meeting closed at 11.50am.

Labor Council Womens Committee Minutes 30/08/01

Summary