The union representing ACT public servants has accused the territory government of reversing its progress on closing the gender pay gap, saying a wage rise offer entrenched low pay for female-dominated roles.
The Community and Public Sector Union has accused the government of pursuing a "sexist wages policy".
The union has pointed to the pay rise offered to general service officers last month. The deal, brokered by CFMEU ACT, will deliver a 34 per cent wage increase over three years, taking their pay from $50,925 to $68,266.
The CPSU said this offer would overwhelmingly benefit a male workforce. The union said the pay deal offered to its lowest-paid workers was about half that offered to the general service officers. However, the government has rejected the assertion the pay gap would widen.
The union's national president, Brooke Muscat, said the lowest-paid CPSU workers included people in female-dominated professions such as health services officers, allied health assistants, school assistants, administration workers, dental assistants, tourism and events officers and sterilising services health service officers.
"Not only does this splitting up of workers and wages undo all the years of good work the ACT government has done to close the gender pay gap, but it also does not meet the expectations of workers or the community," Ms Muscat said.
"Having to call out the government in 2023 for pursuing a sexist wages policy is deeply disappointing - especially here in Canberra. Canberrans expect better than this from their government.
"The people we are talking about right now are hard-working public servants who on average, earn between $45,000 and $75,000 - they are working in our classrooms, they are dental assistants, tourism and events officers, allied health assistants and more.
"[Chief Minister] Andrew Barr and the cabinet ministers need to go back to the drawing board to develop a pay offer that won't see the gender pay gap widened at the hands of this government."
The gender pay gap between men and women in the ACT's public service was sitting at about 0.1 per cent, head of service Kathy Leigh said last year.
But women make up nearly two-thirds of the territory's public service.
An ACT government spokeswoman said the government rejected the assertion the pay offer would widen the gender pay gap.
The spokeswoman said the current offer raised the wages of all low paid workers by up to 8 per cent in the first year on top of a one-off cost-of-living supplement of $1250.
The spokeswoman said there had also been agreements to improve working conditions for women including five days of paid leave for assisted reproductive leave, special leave for menstrual and menopause symptoms and pregnancy being included as an explicit reason for flexible working arrangements.
"Gender equity continues to be a high priority in 2022-23," the spokeswoman said.
The government has also committed $3.3 million over the next four years to fund programs including a new internship for women in male-dominated roles and the development of a gender equity strategy.
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
