Tomorrow (Satis an historic day for community sector workers throughout Tasmania. That’s because tomorrow, December 1, 2012, is the day that community sector workers are due their first Equal Pay increase.
More than 11,000 low-paid Tasmanian community sector workers are set to benefit from this hard-won increase.
Under the groundbreaking Equal Pay legislation that passed through the Australian parliament earlier this year, Equal Pay increases will fall due twice a year for the next eight years. Every December, minimum wages will rise by the Equal Pay instalment of between 2.5-5%, followed in each July by the Annual Wage Review increases.
“The Equal Pay law is recognition that community sector workers, who are overwhelmingly women, are way behind what most Australians would consider to be fair pay and that they need to catch up fast,” says HACSU Assistant State Secretary Tim Jacobson.
“HACSU members played a significant part in bringing this historic reform about. It would not have happened without the concerted efforts of union members across the country.”
“It is a good reform, a fair reform, and we commend the Gillard government for getting it done.”
Mr Jacobson said HACSU, which represents more than 8000 health and community sector workers across Tasmania, would keep a close eye on employers to ensure they abided by their Equal Pay obligations.
“A handful are trying to wriggle out of their legal obligations and we’re not having a bar of it. Their workers are entitled to this Equal Pay increase and any attempt to thwart the law will be met with zero tolerance.”
HACSU Assistant State Secretary Tim Jacobson, Fri, Dec 30.
