Have you ever had the feeling you have to work harder and longer just to get the same opportunities as your male peers?  Well the latest ABS data shows you also have to work longer just to earn as much as men do. About a day extra every week – for free – in fact.

The Australian Financial Review reported on Friday that – according to the latest Australian Bureaus of Statistics data – the overall full-time average weekly earnings pay gap for all industries is 18 per cent (‘Women work longer to earn a man’s pay’, by Marsha Jacobs, www.afr.com, 21/8/09).

At this rate, my calculations show women need to work more than 8 hours longer than their male peers every week, just to earn as much as they do.  This of course is on top of women still doing the lions share of domestic duties and assuming the primary parenting role in most working families.

Which makes me wonder, where on earth would we even find these extra 8 hours?  

It’s a mystery to me.  Which is probably a good thing.  In my experience, the more outrageous a situation is, the more likely we are to demand action from the powers that be.  So I wonder: are you ready to stand up and be heard when it comes to pay equity in your workplace.  I believe we all deserve better than this, and I also believe nothing will change until we put up our hands and ask for more.  

Are you ready to ask for pay equity now?