MUA Parental Leave Push

Baby Sofia

MUA national women's committee co-ordinator Sue Virago has been working full time on women's issues for P&O and the union since January last year. She's also on the executive of the ACTU. So parental leave and a family friendly workplace have always been high on her agenda.

Now she could not be better qualified for the job. On August 30 Sue and her partner celebrated the birth of their first baby - Sofia (below).

P&O Ports is one of six employers in the maritime industry that offer leave entitlements to parents at the time of birth. It provides six weeks paid leave for full time women and one week unpaid parental leave for partners.

"It's a trend slowly surfacing within blue-collar/ male dominated industries," said Virago. "Retention of women workers should get priority, especially given how difficult it is to find suitable women with the right qualifications for these jobs."

Sydney Ferries provide nine weeks paid maternity leave and Darwin Port Corporation, 14 weeks.

Brisbane Port Corporation allows one week paid parental leave and six weeks maternity leave. They also provide paid time for ante-natal classes and doctor's appointments.

But Virago is concerned that women have to clock up three years service before they are entitled to their leave. No such stipulation applies to co-parents before they can access their one week paid leave.

In the shipping industry Adsteam provide a week's paid entitlement for men and women at time of birth. And TT Line, by far the greatest employer of MUA women, has adopted a scaled approach. The more years service you have the greater the maternity leave entitlement. The maximum benefit is eight weeks for 36 months service. But women who have been employed 15 months or less get nothing. As many of the jobs are still casual, Virago says too many women are missing out.

"Nevertheless TT Line do deserve a wrap for protecting member's superannuation during maternity leave," she said. "They've agreed to keep paying the company's 9 per cent contribution for up to 12 months unpaid leave. This is fantastic!"

As well the Maritime Industry Seagoing Award gives a seaman access to five days special leave if his wife goes into labour while he is at sea. It's listed under 'sailing shorthanded'. But because the industry has been a man's domain for so long, the award has a long way to catch up with the times. At present only men receive a paid entitlement at the birth of a child. There's just no recognition that women now work in the shipping industry.

"We still have a long way to go before we get to the ACTU recommended 14 weeks paid parental leave and two years unpaid leave across the board," said Virago. "Not to mention flexible family friendly hours, breastfeeding rooms and work crèches."