The gender pay gap has hit a record high of 18.8 per cent according to Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures, prompting calls for the Federal Government to reverse the upward trend.
Men now earn almost $300 more per week than women based on the average weekly earnings for full-time workers.
The latest figures represent the biggest gender pay gap since the ABS began collecting the data in 1994.
Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) president Ged Kearney said while the data reflected pay across the board, women could be paid less in the same jobs as men.
Women also made up the majority of workers in some industries where earnings were low.
The latest figures compared the average weekly full-time earnings of men – $1,587.50 – and found women were about $298 worse off.
“Now, [on top of] all the traditional barriers that women face – participating fully in the workforce, access to affordable child care, and getting paid your full salary or a decent salary while you’re on maternity leave – women are overrepresented in the community and care sector or those industries that are paid less,” Ms Kearney said.
“We have to ask ourselves why we undervalue those industries.
“This is really distressing; the gender pay gap is rising and nothing seems to be done about it.”
news source & image credits: abc.net.au
