More than 150,000 of Australian's lowest-paid workers, predominantly women, are in line for significant pay rises over the next six years after Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced this morning the federal government would contribute $2 billion to redress the pay gap between genders.   

More than two years after the Australian Services Union mounted a push to increase wages in the community sector, Ms Gillard said the government would join the push and argue jointly for Fair Work Australia to grant fair rates of pay for the sector.   

"These women have been discriminated against for too long," Ms Gillard said.


The workers to be looked after include disability support workers, carers, youth workers, counsellors and those in domestic violence support. They have a higher proportion of tertiary qualifications than the rest of the workforce but earn on average about $46,000 a year. The average wage nationally is $58,000.

Ms Gillard gave the example of a worker she called Natalie.

"Natalie helps people who are mentally ill, children and young people needing out-of-home care and people living with a disability," she said.

"She helps them learn to live independently when they move from long-term hospital-based care to community-based living.

"Natalie is currently paid $41,648 per year. When fully implemented, her fair pay will be around $55,000 in today's dollars."

Ms Gillard has called on the states to similarly lift their funding to the community sectors for which they are responsible so those workers also revive wage parity.

The federal contribution is not contingent on the states acting.

Of the 150,000 workers involved, about 120,000 are women.

"For too long society has undervalued the work women do," Ms Gillard said. The $2 billion federal contribution will be offset by savings and is not expected to threaten the promise to return the budget to surplus in 2012-13.

Charities welcomed the equal pay commitment, with Uniting Care Australia saying it was long overdue and a "cause for optimism".   

"People who work in community services are highly valued by those they care for, by families, communities and by their employers," Uniting Care national director Lin Hatfield Dodds said in a statement.

"For too long their wages have not matched the value of their contribution."   

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick said the agreement was a milestone that would contribute to equal pay for more than 150,000 community sector workers.

The NSW Greens called on the state government to support their federal counterparts' push for equal pay commitments.   

Greens MP David Shoebridge said pressure was now on Premier Barry O'Farrell to match the federal government and commit to funding for equal pay.

"People working in the community and disability sector have been traditionally undervalued because it has been predominantly done by women," he said.

"It is time to right this wrong in NSW and give people working in the community and disability sector the respect they deserve through pay equity."   

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/gillards-2bn-equal-pay-push-to-see-lowestpaid-workers-salaries-soar-20111110-1n8jh.html#ixzz1dGcciDGZ

Its just pandering for airtime.

The only difference in pay are in those who are on above awards and private negoiated rates.

There is no pay difference between a man and a woman in an enterprise agreement or award.