cover image: Workers campaigning for 10-days universal paid reproductive health leave

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Workers campaigning for 10-days universal paid reproductive health leave

10 Sep 2024

Workers campaigning for 10-days universal paid reproductive health leave Australian unions are stepping up the movement’s “It’s For Every Body” campaign to secure ten days of universal paid leave so that workers can have time away and flexibility in dealing with a range of reproductive health issues. [...] The ACTU and the Queensland Council of Unions are in Canberra pressing for the expansion of the National Employment Standards to provide access to ten days paid reproductive health leave for workers. [...] Women are withdrawing from the labour market years before they planned to, with less retirement savings, because of a lack of workplace support to address the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, in particular. [...] “The Liberal Party had made the ludicrous suggestion that this right will somehow make employers reluctant to hire women, when the whole point of this to ensure their talents and experience are not lost to the labour market. [...] “Whether it is unions campaigning for equal pay or paid parental leave – it is always a tough fight to win these conditions, but we need them so that women as well as men can balance work and care and stay in their jobs.” Quotes attributable to Queensland Council of Unions General Secretary, Jacqueline King: “We need paid reproductive leave and flexible work arrangements in our National Employment.

Authors

Luisa Saccotelli

Pages
2
Published in
Australia