Women's Focus

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The AEU has a proud history of supporting its women members, who represent 70% of the membership nationally. The AEU has negotiated significant advances for women in the workplace and will continue to work collectively to address women's issues. It is important that women members get involved in the AEU at all levels.

The AEU Women's Officer is Cathy Smith.

Contact: 6272-7900 or email csmith@aeuact.asn.au

Sub-Branch Women's Contact Officer [WCO]

Every Sub-Branch is encouraged to have this position filled! At the beginning of each year nominations are called for WCOs through the Sub-Branch Representative nomination process. However, the WCO position may be filled at any time during the year by contacting the ACT Branch Women's Officer, Cathy Smith on 6272-7900 or csmith@aeuact.asn.au

About the role for Women's Contact Officers

Women's Training

The AEU provides training for financial members, including training specifically for women members. See the current AEU Training Program for details.

Tackling Violence Against Women and Children

Pay Equity

Unions welcome Federal Paid Maternity Leave Scheme
Posted 22/3/2009
On Mothers Day, 10 May 2009, Unions welcomed the historic introduction of a universal, government-funded paid maternity leave scheme covering the majority of Australian women and their families. This scheme will not commence until January 2011. There will be another Federal Budget and election in the meantime. Click here for more details

Union members must remain vigilant on two counts:

ensure that politicians continue to understand that Australians support such a scheme;
realise that during bargaining for a new Agreement, employers and employees will discuss existing employer Paid Parental Leave [PPL] provisions in the light of the introduction of a new Federal scheme and employers are likely to try to reduce these employer-funded provisions. Unions will fight this! Keep informed, keep involved .... www.actu.asn.au and to go Campaigns.

Government-funded Paid Parental Leave finally arrived!
After more than 30 years of campaigning, a Government-funded universal paid parental leave scheme commenced in Australia from January 2011. Congratulations to unionists, particularly women, who have persisted to achieve PPL! This scheme is in addition to the ACT Government's 18 weeks paid maternity leave. Whilst PPL is a huge win, union members should continue to seek new and better entitlements from employers.
AEU Paid Parental Leave Fact Sheet
AEU Paid Parental Leave - Myths and Facts
Paid Parental Leave - Information from your Union aid Parental Leave - Information from your Union
FAHCSIA Brochure
Further information from the Family Assistance Office

ACT public sector workers get paid maternity leave extended to 18 weeks

Posted 22/6/2009

On 4 May 2009, the ACT Government announced it will introduce the nation's most generous whole of government paid maternity leave scheme for public sector workers and double bonding leave.

Body Image

Posted 18/8/2011

The Australian Government has taken action to promote positive body image and to build young peopole's resilience to negtive body image pressures, by creating "body image friendly schools". For information on how to create a body image friendly school please see the resources page. Further information about body image is included in the information sheets on the Government's website.
Other useful resources from the ACT and around Australia

Women's Human Rights education kit launched
Posted 22/12/2008
The Australian Human Rights Commission and the Australian Government Office for Women today released Women's Human Rights an educational kit of fact sheets about the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women [CEDAW]. Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick says, "The Women's Human Rights education kit provides people with a clear and basic understanding of international human rights, particularly as they relate to women. Understanding our rights is a good step towards ensuring that they are protected and fulfilled, so I hope this kit gives people a good grounding to engage with the human rights of women in their work and every day life."

The kit can be downloaded from the Australian Human Rights Commission website.

Women's Activist Kit [also on the Publications page]

In user-friendly fact sheet format, the Women's Activist Kit gives useful information to teachers on how to get active locally on a wide variety of issues of importance to women.

Introduction to the Kit

Using the Women's Activist Kit

Why Women's Activism

Contemporary challenges for Women and Education Unions