Women’s Conference – Supporting Women at Work

The challenges facing women in the workplace, in the community and internationally were the focus of this year’s IEU Women’s Conference, writes Organiser Pam Smith.

Over 120 women from NSW, the ACT and from inter-state participated in the conference held at the Mercure Hotel in Sydney. This year’s conference incorporated the launch by IEU General Secretary Dick Shearman of the Union’s new Guide to Parental and Personal/Carer’s Leave.

Keynote speaker Associate Professor Dr Marian Baird from the Women and  Work Research Centre at Sydney University provided a very comprehensive overview of women and work in Australia, including historic union campaigns for equal pay and maternity leave. She highlighted the role of unions in achieving the recently announced national paid parental leave scheme and in the ongoing campaign for pay equity.

Associate Professor Baird recently chaired a round table on the Federal Government’s review of the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act and welcomed the input of the IEU in ensuring that EOWW legislation and implementation meets the practical needs of women in their workplaces.

A highlight of this year’s Women’s Conference was the input of visitors from Israel Deborah Weissman and Rula Shubeita.  Representing the Inter-religious Co-ordinating Council in Israel, these speakers provided an inspirational account of building peace in the Middle East through dialogue, education and action.

ICCI’s mission is to utilise the teachings and values of the Jewish, Christian and Islamic faiths into sources of reconciliation and peaceful co-existence, based on the understanding that religion should be part of the solution rather than contributing to conflict.

Women’s Conference participants were deeply moved by Debbie and Rula and their commitment to women of faith working together to build peace and harmony. Further information about the work of ICCI may be obtained at http://icci.org.il
Another international perspective at Women’s Conference was provided by the Edmund Rice Centre which focused on Fair Trade principles and the role of the International Women’s Network.

Other features of the 2009 Women’s Conference included input by IEU member and wellness educator Lisa Walsh and workshop sessions on:

•  women and leadership

•  accessing part-time and job share

•  early childhood - educational and industrial issues

•  Indigenous women – roles and reality - facilitated by Diat Callope and IEU Indigenous members.

A resolution was endorsed requesting the IEU to highlight Indigenous women and their stories in Union publications and to provide opportunities for Indigenous voices to be heard.

The IEU Women and Education Committee thanks all involved in the planning and delivering of this year’s Women’s Conference and will hold a teleconference on 22 September to review this year’s conference and to commence planning for 2010.

Other Women in Education Committee initiatives this year include gatherings in Tamworth on 10 September, Lismore on 27 October and Canberra on 11 November.