conditions Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] X-Loop: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Precedence: bulk Please distribute as you see fit. Yet another reason why unions are just as relevant in the 21st century as they were in the 19th and are now. Women @ Work ** MATERNITY PROTECTION ATTACK ** ** Women urged to be vigilant ** The Australian Government recently sent 12 male delegates to the 87th Session of the ILO Conference to represent Australia in debate on the review of the Maternity Protection Convention No. 103. The only Australian woman at the conference, ACTU delegate Lisa Heap, was not recognised by the Australian Government, and was forced to join an international union delegation, in order to attend. It was reported that the Australian Government delegates indicated support for pregnancy testing prior to employment, and maternity leave rights applying only to full-time permanent employees. They opposed maternity leave applying to adoption, and paid maternity leave. In her report "Maternity Protection: A Duty of Society" Lisa Heap says the Australian Government also proposed to delete the paragraph that allows for an extension of the maternity leave period in the case of illness,complications or risk of complications arising out of pregnancy or confinement. Thankfully, these proposals didn't see the light of day, however it is a sign that Australian women need to remain vigilant, said CPSU/SPSF State Secretary Karen Batt. It should be noted with alarm that our federal government did not send a woman to this conference, and refused to recognise the only Australian woman there, because she was representing workers. The message is, women workers cannot rely on their government to protect their interests. I think its disgraceful that Australian women at the end of the twentieth century still face the threat of losing their maternity related entitlements, after fighting for them for so long. Not only are current entitlements at risk, but women face the threat of new forms of discrimination in employment, such as pregnancy testing when applying for jobs. Karen said Australian women should lobby the federal government between now and June 2000, when the final debate of a new Convention and Recommendations will take place. ** WHAT CAN WOMEN DO ABOUT IT? ** Distribute this information to as many other women as you can. Hold meetings at your workplace to discuss the legislation. Be prepared to participate in union meetings and rallies in the campaign against the legislation. Write to Senator Andrew Murray, the Australian Democrat spokesperson on industrial relations. Stop this unfair legislation being passed. Senator Murray can be contacted @ Fax: 02 6277 3767 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Also write to other Democrat Senators, particularly Meg Lees, Fax: 02 6277 3996 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Natasha Stott-Despoja, Fax: 02 6277 3235 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Vicki Bourne, Fax: 02 6277 3815 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Lyn Allison, Fax: 02 6277 3087 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Encourage as many women as you can to make submissions to the Senate Inquiry which will be held late in September. ** EVENTS ** CLARE BURTON MEMORIAL LECTURES The Beauty Therapist, The Mechanic, The Geoscientist and The Librarian: Addressing Undervaluation of Women's Work Speaker: Associate Professor Rosemary Hunter 5.00 pm 21 October 1999 RMIT University, Ethel Osborne Hall, Russell Street, Melbourne RSVP: Ph: (02) 9514 2909 Fax: (02) 9514 2930 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:AA: Aust govt intervenes in ILO to destroy working womens'
Bullimore / Kim Maree (COM) Tue, 5 Oct 1999 10:09:12 +1000 (EST)
