International Women's Day 2011

Maritime women and men were among a record crowd celebrating a centenary of International Women's Day, with song and dance, politics and speeches in Sydney's Martin Place and other Australian cities, yesterday.

MUA men and women joined the march from the Sydney Town Hall through the streets under the banner Women Transporting the World.

The call for the rally was equal pay, fair pay. Women should get the same pay as men, not just for the same work, but for women's work like caring for the elderly, the ill, the young, cleaning and factory work.

A nurse has the as many qualifications as a tradesmen, said one speaker, but all the tradesmen I know own a house at 20 and nurses go without.

It's not about the glass ceiling but the gender pay gap of a whopping 18 per cent - greater if the division is made along both gender and ethnic lines.

Speakers representing the ethnic communities, spoke of how women laboured in factories on low pay in third world conditions.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions is redoubling efforts to achieve true gender equality with a test case now before the commission.

In the past year unions have campaigned and won paid and parental leave, carer's leave and family-friendly flexible working arrangements.

But ACTU President Ged Kearney said a continuous effort and commitment was needed to achieve gender equity.

Unions launched an equal pay test case for around 150,000 social and community service workers in Fair Work Australia in early 2010 to redress the pay discrepancy.

She called for employers to face stronger enforcement of equal opportunity laws.

The recent announcement of government reform of Australia's equal opportunity workplace laws after decades of inaction is welcomed by unions.

"Employers have had several decades to deliver equal opportunity in workplaces but have failed to do it, so it's now time for legislative enforcement," Ms Kearney said.

"We are pleased that the Federal Government is acting on recommendations made by unions to make reforms to the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act.

"Equality in the workplace needs to be backed by accountability and enforcement.

The government is setting up a working group to manage the outcome of a landmark equal pay test case.

"Equal pay is a workplace right and a human right, and Fair Work Australia must remember this when considering its decision."

Meanwhile in Tasmania MUA Women held a BBQ Pioneer Park East Devonport, in Melbourne MUA members joined the march through city to parliament house.


Produced by Jamie McMechan & Mich-Elle Myers Maritime Union of Australia.

http://www.mua.org.au

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[mcaldwell90]

alright you cunts!

these bitches should be in the kitchen and not the streets marching. ive herd enough of your complaints and shit.

@llkamy shut fuck up and make me some eggs woman.

[victorsvoice]

Say no to the gender war!

Manwomanmyth (google it everyone)

[victorsvoice]

@Ilkamy I don't think I am oppressed. But I will hold feminists feet to the fire. You need to educate yourself on the ideology that you are supporting but you are probably another person who irredeemably believe that feminism is merely about equality for women and men. Hence why I called you a gullible sheep.

Stop supporting something that has even drastically decreased women's happiness.

Stop supporting something which is harmful and hateful, albeit dressed up as something good.

[Ilkamy]

@victorsvoice What is your problem? Why should I watch these videos?

If you think you're oppressed because of your gender, then organize yourself with other men and try to change your situation. But don't blame the women when they stand up for equal social rights for all. Incidentally, the women's movement was always part of the of anti-war movement. We are against imperialist wars, glorification of violence and oppression not because we are women but because we are human beings.

Stay human!

[victorsvoice]

@Ilkamy Google manwomanmyth you gullible sheep. Go to the video page and watch all the videos in the right order on the video page. Take no video in isolation. See them all as one.

[Rhianna7]

I was there!

[Ilkamy]

BECAUSE woman's work is never done; is underpaid or unpaid or boring and we're the first to get fired & what we look like is more important than what we do

and if we get beaten or raped it's our fault we must have provoked it

and if we don't want a pregnancy we're made to feel guilty

and if we love women it's because we can't get a "real" man

and if we stand up for our rights we're aggressive and "unfeminine"

and if we don't we're typical weak females

and for many more reasons WE ARE FEMINISTS!