Social and Community Services (SACS) workers in the not-for-profit sector have been found to be underpaid because the majority of workers are women.
Fair Work Australia (FWA) found an equal pay gap between women in the SACS sector and their counterparts in the government sector.
SACS workers were found to have received $30000 less than their government worker counterparts.
Australian Services Union (ASU) Western Australia Branch Secretary Wayne Wood said the unfair pay gap applies to both men and women in the SACS sector.
According to the FWA, gender has been important in creating the gap between pay in the SACS industry and pay in state and local government.
“This decision now provides the first concrete step forward in our ongoing battle to completely eliminate gender based pay inequality,” Mr Wood said.
The ASU campaigned for the FWA to review the disproportionate pay for SACS workers in their Equal Pay Case.
Mr Wood said “FWA has accepted the ASU’s key arguments in the application for an Equal Remuneration Order”.
FWA determined further evidence will be required from the ASU to compensate SACS workers for the gender pay gap.
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@governmentnews.com.au.
Sign up to the Government News newsletter
