In the UK, the ‘race’ for leader of the Labour party has begun. One woman Diane Abbott is standing for the leadership. She is the first black person to contest the leadership of the party. Abbott is contesting the leadership with four other candidates, all of them male and all of them white. It was one of the contenders David Miliband who ‘helped’ Abbott get the required level of support to run for leader. Barbara Ellen in an article in The Observer (13 June) stated that his actions, whilst helping Abbott secure the votes she needed, were "patronising in the extreme". If actions speak louder than words, then what this is saying is loud and clear: “No skin off my nose: she won’t win.” Ellen goes on to make the point that Abbott is being positioned (by some at least) as the candidate who can make others feel better about the leadership contest – with Abbott they can tick the gender and ethnic diversity boxes – but as Ellen states "since when were black or female or in Abbott's case black and female, politicians there to make the white guys look good?" A great question!
Harriet Harman, the stand-in Labour party leader, has stated that Diane Abbott will give her rivals ‘a good run for their money.’ Harman nominated Abbott to prevent the leadership race being an all male affair. Let’s hope she is right and that the contest for leader focuses on who will be the most effective leader, including serious consideration of leaders who are female and black.
Pay Equity Test Case
The Australian Services Union (ASU) launched an equal pay test case with Fair Work Australia under the new Federal Fair Work Act in March this year. The ASU's case is focused on 250,000 mainly female community sector workers, in particular those who work in the care and community industries. They state that ‘the case sets out to prove that Community Workers wages have been set and kept so low because the work of the sector has been traditionally considered as Women’s Work. The test case is supported by the Equal Pay Alliance – a group of over 150 representatives from business, unions and government.
In a press release coinciding with the lodging of the claim the Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick stated that “A positive outcome in this test case will be a triumph for workers in this area, and will have important future implications. Australia is not alone in its challenge to close the gender gap in pay. We need to use all the tools available to us to ensure that this occurs. I warmly welcome the filing of the ASU case today.”
Hearings and/or inspections are expected to occur in October this year. I’d like to feel optimistic about this case as I believe that so many jobs in the caring sectors are undervalued and under rewarded. There is a real chance to do something about closing the gender pay gap. I wonder if they will be ‘brave’ enough to do it? We’ll keep an eye on the progress of this case!
On the Horizon
We have added a new section to our blog... "On the Horizon" which will provide links to upcoming events, seminars and conferences in the women in leadership space. Take a look on the right hand column of the blog and you will find it.
There are a number of events coming up in the next few months that might be of interest to you:
- “Getting Women off the Bench – A Gender Equality Blueprint for 2010” - National Press Club Address (Australia) by Elizabeth Broderick, Sex Discrimination Commissioner on Wednesday 23 June 11.45am-1.30pm (EST). At the address Commissioner Broderick will launch her 2010 Gender Equality Blue Print for Australia. The event will be fully televised. Click this link for more details.
- The Maureen Bickley Centre for Women in Leadership in association with the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA), are hosting a Breakfast Seminar on 2 July 2010 at 7:15am for 7:30am start on Gender Pay Equity with Mairi Steele, Acting Director, EOWA.
Mairi will discuss the research which suggests that HR specialists need a better understanding of pay equity issues and how to address them. She will talk about how to raise awareness of the problem and drive change in this critical area. For further information contact Lucy Cowcher-Guthrie at the MBC.
- The International Conference for Women Engineers and Scientists (ICWES) will be held in Adelaide, Australia from July 19-22, 2011. This global conference is run every three years and is a forum for the exchange of information and ideas for women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
* Attracting, developing and retaining women engineers and scientists.
* Outstanding practice models of industry commitment to diversity and equality in the workplace.
* Achievements, innovations and research in the various fields of engineering, science and technology
* New ideas and solutions to contemporary problems including climate change, water, energy and sustainability.
Abstract submissions have opened, closing 1st December 2010. Submissions from both academics and industry practitioners are strongly encouraged. For more information visit www.icwes15.org
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