In the 1860's the American nation fought a civil war to abolish slavery. Yesterday, Fair Trading handed down a pay decision that ended slavery in Australia for the people who worked in the Social, Community and Disability Service Industries ( SACS ), the majority of whom are women.
These pay increases range from 19 to 41 % and represent amounts between $6,324 and $ 24,346 per year extra going into pay packets - and they will be progressively introduced over an eight year pay period.
The Community services sector ranges across the entire spectrum of essential services, from those that man community centres to the workers who visit the elderly daily to help them shower, dress and remain in their own homes, saving the cost of hospital or formal aged care accommodation. This has been a grossly underpaid industry - averaging a mere $ 46,000 a year as opposed to a national average of $ 58,000.
This was a brave decision. Underpaying social workers is a hangover from the days when few married women worked and those that undertook social responsibilities were regarded as almost donating their services as some sort of charity gift to those in need.
Times have changed. Many of today's SACS workers need tertiary qualifications to meet the required standards, and those on a pay level of $ 46,000 have no hope of buying their own home, raising a family or even getting finance to buy a decent car in today's competitive world.
But - this pay decision will have consequences. That extra money has to come from somewhere and all levels of governance are strapped for cash. Expect the " do more with less " principle to apply. It will become harder to get on the list to access community services and the numbers employed will probably shrink - and individuals will be asked to take on a heavier work load.
At least earning a decent pay level will stop the attrition that has been steadily taking place as workers abandon social services because they simply can not survive on the pay rates offered.
And it is one more step along the road to the goal claimed by all sides of politics - gender equality !
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