The government has said it will negotiate with unions and others about how to lift pay in female-dominated industries – a move welcomed by the CTU and others who have been campaigning for pay equity.
The move is the government’s response to the Kristine Bartlett case, which ended up with the Employment Court preparing itself to find a male-dominated comparator industry that aged care workers – Bartlett’s industry – should be paid the same as.
The negotiations are designed to create an out of court settlement. However, unions have said they will continue to consider pay claims for female-dominated occupations and will remain prepared in case progress is not made through this process.
