Tracking Pay Equity: The Impact of Regulatory Change on the Dissemination and Sustainability of Equal Remuneration Decisions

Abstract

While considerable attention has been paid to gains made in successful pay equity cases, there has been limited analysis of compliance with decisions and the maintenance of relative wage increases. This article examines the dissemination and sustainability of wage gains won under the auspices of Queensland's 'equal remuneration principle' for dental assistants and childcare workers in 2005 and 2006, respectively, in the context of subsequent changes to the industrial relations framework in Australia. It shows that while increases were initially disseminated effectively, albeit with some differences across jurisdictions in the context of Work Choices, longer-term maintenance is at risk with the full translation of these groups into the federal system under the Fair Work Act. Our analysis underlines the importance of forms of collectivism within the industrial relations system, which facilitated the determination and dissemination of wage gains Downloaded from in spite of low levels of unionization and the absence of direct action among these award-reliant groups. However, we argue that this collectivism was insufficient to ensure the sustainability of equal remuneration gains in the face of jurisdictional changes and that the capacity for the types of collectivism supportive of pay equity under Modern Awards is yet to be determined.

Challenging the ‘care penalty’: The Queensland pay equity campaign for community services workers

“…This interviewee in fact lost her job as a result of her employer’s funding difficulties, but felt the larger good had been served despite the significant consequences for her. Another sting is that the impact of one-off decisions like the QIRC’s becomes attenuated over time; that is, pay relativities start to erode if there is no structure to institutionalise equity (Connolly et al., 2012). Possible responses still under discussion include ‘a tripartite approach with government around frameworks for funded bargaining’ (interview, employer association 2).…”

Managerial support

“…On the other hand, this has coincided with a reduction in union and employee power, raising concerns about negative outcomes for employees, such as reduced working conditions, job security, flexibility and remuneration and increasing workloads. While Bray and Macneil (2011) point out the association between lower union membership with a decline in collectivism and a rise in individualism, collective bargaining has evened out some of the impact (Connolly et al, 2012) although, given the current state of the market and the effects of the global financial crisis, there are employees who have limited options. This can ultimately lead to a reduction in employee performance, commitment and increased turnover (Sturman et al, 2003).…”

Introduction to Special Collection: Women’s agency at work

“…Each of the articles in this Special Collection engages with some aspect of the repercussions of the international forces which have helped trigger and continue to contribute to the challenges for working women. At the macro-level, the articles highlight synergies between women’s experiences in diverse nation states and these states’ particular institutional, regulatory and political arrangements (Connolly et al, 2012; Kirton and Greene, 2011). Women’s experiences at work are, of course, multifarious.…”