Over the weekend, the Albanese Government announced plans to extend the federal government paid parental leave scheme by six weeks from 20 weeks to 26 weeks and make the scheme more flexible to encourage dads to take more leave. This means new parents can now take up to 6 months off shared between them for the birth of a their new child. How the changes work: Parental Leave Pay and Dad and Partner Pay are combining into one payment. It will increase from 90 days (18 weeks) to 100 days (20 weeks). The total Parental Leave Pay available to families will then increase by 2 weeks each July. This is until 2026 when it will be 130 days (26 weeks). Income limits will increase to a combined $350,000 per financial year and the payments can be used up until the child turns 2. You can read more about the changes at the Services Australia website here. Union members have been instrumental in campaigning for paid time off for parents - the first every parental leave provision was won by federal public sector workers in 1973, when commonwealth public sector workers won 12 week paid maternity leave. Right up to the introduction of the Paid Parental Leave Scheme in 2011 and beyond, union members have supported and won rights for new parents to take time off when their child arrives. This announcement will significantly increase the overall amount of leave available while also making it more easily shared between parents, including on a flexible basis. While many union-negotiated agreements now have more weeks, higher pay levels and flexible arrangements, this is still a good step forward in for working women and families, with the recognition of the changing attitudes of working families when it comes to primary caretaker roles. These types of reforms don't just happen - it has been the work of thousands of union members campaigning for decades to create change in this space. Just like when we campaign for better wages or improved workplaces - when we work together we can build better lives for workers. For more information on how this modified scheme will work - stay tuned to announcements from the federal government over the coming weeks. If you want to learn more about how parental leave works - you can view parental leave factsheets for private sector members here on the members-only portal.
March4Justice is a movement of people calling for the end of gender-based violence in Australian society. Early in 2021, events swirling around federal politics exploded onto a national platform which galvanised Australians to come together to call for the end of sexual violence. In March 2021, over 200 events across Australia popped up and created the grassroots March4justice movement. It started with a tweet, and from there volunteers in cities and towns all over Australia put up their hands to create a movement unlike what we’ve seen in recent years. In 2022, the March4Justice events are back right across the country. The March4Justice movement is calling for 4 key demands; All women to be safe in Australia. First Nations women must be a priority. Women to be safe at work and at home. Real action to end gendered violence and promote gender equality across Australia. Criminal Justice reform. Together members will be joining the rally in Brisbane to support the cause and call for women to be safe at work. Gendered violence is a workplace issue. Gender equality is a workplace issue. Together members have a proud track record for standing up for the rights of women in the workplace. Stemming from the March4Justice rallies last year, our union established the Respect@Work campaign that called for gender pay equity, superannuation and safety at work. Together members also successfully campaigned to establish a Queensland Equity Commissioner to promote, encourage and facilitate the achievement of gender equity within the Queensland Public Service. With the commission just beginning, Together members are looking forward to continuing to advocate for gender equality in the public service. There are public March4Justice events in Warwick, Gold Coast, Cairns and Brisbane this year. You can find all the events details here. The Brisbane event details are below: 10:30am - 11:30am Sunday, 27 February 2022 Soundshell Hill, Brisbane City Botanical Gardens Dress code: Black with teal ribbon on your wrist Click here for the flyer. Please join us and be part of this movement for change. If you care about issues like eliminating the gender pay gap, gendered violence and achieving gender equality, being a Together union member is an important step in reaching those important goals. We are stronger when we act together as a collective and make our voice loud. If these issues are important to you - join your union today. Together we are powerful.
You did this. For years, ASU members campaigned to get super working for women. And overnight the Federal Government abolished the $450 earning threshold for super! Congratulations! It is because of union members Scott Morrison finally fulfilled his promise. What this means: Anyone earning less than $450 per month from a single employer will now receive superannuation. For casual, young, lower-income and part-time workers, this makes a huge difference to their futures. But it isn’t over yet. Women in Australia have been failed by our super system with 1 in 3 retiring in poverty. Help us get super working for everyone here. To get super working for women and low paid workers, the government needs to: Implement the planned increase to 12%super immediately Close the gender super gap by paying super on paid parental leave, Government Carer and family payments. Enforce structures that encourage superannuation contribution sharing for single working parents. Fund government co-contribution top-ups for workers who are not on track for a decent retirement. Together we can ensure working people are able to have a decent retirement, Let’s keep up the momentum and Stand Up for Super! Sign here.
A brighter economic future for women is in sight, if we demand it now. After years of campaigning by ASU members, the Morrison Government last year agreed to scrap the $450 monthly income threshold for Superannuation Guarantee eligibility. With only a few opportunities to make this happen before the election we need your support. Can you join us in calling on Morrison to Stand up for Super this week in Parliament by scrapping the $450 threshold? Sign the petition here! We don’t need any more delays. Systemic change to Super is urgently needed. No worker should miss out on savings in their retirement, yet women disproportionally fall below the $450 earning threshold, disallowing many from accumulating Super during their working lives. There are very few days left to ensure we can start closing the Superannuation gap for women. If the Federal Government is serious about supporting women’s retirement outcomes, they must prioritise this legislation in parliament now. The interests of working women who have suffered disproportionally through this pandemic should not be again cast aside by the Morrison Government. Stand with us by calling on the Morrison government to Stand up for Super here.
