Sunday, February 13, 2011
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Equal Pay: Big Changes NOT Small Change!
On the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day, march together for equal pay.
At 12pm on the 12th of March 2011, meet at Town Hall in Sydney City.
Why Equal Pay?
Right now, community workers, 90 per cent of whom are women, have a case before Fair Work Australia to increase their pay. Community workers pay has always been low because it is a female-dominated profession. A person working in a male dominated industry such as a greenskeeper earns more than someone working in a female-dominated industry such as a youth suicide prevention worker. This is not because the work that men do is harder, or because it contributes more to society. These low wages that women receive are due to the undervaluation of the work that women have done and continue to do.
Who has the power to decide the case?
The Federal Government – Julia Gillard and co – have the power to support the case or not. The Government initially supported the case going to Fair Work Australia, but now their submission to the case says they cannot afford to fund it. PM Gillard holds the purse strings, so let’s send her a message! The NSW Government also have a say over funding. So, the Commissioners of Fair Work Australia decide, but in the end, it is Government that has to say YES! to equal pay.
What Anniversary?
1911 was the first time IWD was celebrated internationally. More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. It was also the year of a the Lawrence Strike, a textile workers strike in the USA. More than 20 000 workers went on strike in response to wage cuts, many were arrested and jailed and several were killed. This is sometimes called the Bread and Roses strike.
100 years on, women are still fighting for decent pay and equal rights!
Join the march to Circular Quay for Equal Pay, and celebrate 100 years of the Women’s Movement!
At 12pm on the 12th of March 2011, meet at Town Hall in Sydney City.
Why Equal Pay?
Right now, community workers, 90 per cent of whom are women, have a case before Fair Work Australia to increase their pay. Community workers pay has always been low because it is a female-dominated profession. A person working in a male dominated industry such as a greenskeeper earns more than someone working in a female-dominated industry such as a youth suicide prevention worker. This is not because the work that men do is harder, or because it contributes more to society. These low wages that women receive are due to the undervaluation of the work that women have done and continue to do.
Who has the power to decide the case?
The Federal Government – Julia Gillard and co – have the power to support the case or not. The Government initially supported the case going to Fair Work Australia, but now their submission to the case says they cannot afford to fund it. PM Gillard holds the purse strings, so let’s send her a message! The NSW Government also have a say over funding. So, the Commissioners of Fair Work Australia decide, but in the end, it is Government that has to say YES! to equal pay.
What Anniversary?
1911 was the first time IWD was celebrated internationally. More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. It was also the year of a the Lawrence Strike, a textile workers strike in the USA. More than 20 000 workers went on strike in response to wage cuts, many were arrested and jailed and several were killed. This is sometimes called the Bread and Roses strike.
100 years on, women are still fighting for decent pay and equal rights!
Join the march to Circular Quay for Equal Pay, and celebrate 100 years of the Women’s Movement!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Some wonderful feedback from the Hon. (and wonderful) Penny Sharpe
NSW Legislative Assembly
12 May 2010
SYDNEY FEMINIST CONFERENCE
The Hon. PENNY SHARPE (Parliamentary Secretary) [11.43 p.m.]:
Over the weekend of 10 and 11 April I was fortunate to attend the first feminist conference held in Sydney for more than 10 years. At the conference I was able to participate with more than 500 women and a small contingent of men who seek ways to give women in our community a fair deal. It was an impressive conference, with women attendees ranging in ages from teens up to some in their eighties.
The conference was organised by a diverse collective of women who wanted to bring women together to discuss how we can enliven and ignite the feminist movement in Sydney. Each of the organisers was an activist and representative from various organisations, including the Women's Electoral Lobby New South Wales, Amnesty International, the Feminist Bookshop, ACON, the Sydney University Students Representative Council and the Australian Services Union.
Over the two-day conference panels discussed and examined a range of issues including: What can feminism learn from indigenous women's knowledge? Why is feminism relevant for all of us? The sharing of power—why aren't we there yet? What sort of future can we create from this conference? There were over 50 workshops on issues such as women and education, mothering and maternal activism, sexism and sexuality in the media, feminist perspectives on pornography, women and poverty, female genital mutilation, domestic violence, women in prison, women and disability and about 40 more topics.
Some people have suggested that we are living in a post-feminist world and that feminism is no longer necessary. While ever women make up the majority of the world's poor, live their lives in fear of violence, continue to suffer from discrimination in accessing education, housing and other basic human rights, feminism is necessary. The conference was a shot in the arm for the many women across this State who work every day to improve women's lives. Anne Summers said at one of the conference sessions that feminism is alive and well. At this time there have never been more men and women who are prepared to call themselves feminists. We should work with and act on that concept.
At a personal level, it was a privilege to gather with so many intelligent, passionate and committed women. The conference was truly inclusive and did not shy away from controversy. There was not any one form of feminism. No one had to have one particular way of representing feminism. There was respect for and inclusion of all points of view, based on the basic value that all women should be treated equally.
I want to place on record tonight my appreciation for the hard work that was done by a voluntary collective. These events usually run on the smell of an oily rag. I thank those who organised the conference: Jane Cullen, Rosa Campbell, Eva Cox, Melanie Fernandez, Gail Hewison, Helen and Celia Hurwitz, Jessica Ison, Gabe Kavanagh, Simone Morrissey, Claire Nemorin, Jenna Price and Tania Safi. Their work is just the beginning.
I look forward to their future efforts on behalf of women in New South Wales.
12 May 2010
SYDNEY FEMINIST CONFERENCE
The Hon. PENNY SHARPE (Parliamentary Secretary) [11.43 p.m.]:
Over the weekend of 10 and 11 April I was fortunate to attend the first feminist conference held in Sydney for more than 10 years. At the conference I was able to participate with more than 500 women and a small contingent of men who seek ways to give women in our community a fair deal. It was an impressive conference, with women attendees ranging in ages from teens up to some in their eighties.
The conference was organised by a diverse collective of women who wanted to bring women together to discuss how we can enliven and ignite the feminist movement in Sydney. Each of the organisers was an activist and representative from various organisations, including the Women's Electoral Lobby New South Wales, Amnesty International, the Feminist Bookshop, ACON, the Sydney University Students Representative Council and the Australian Services Union.
Over the two-day conference panels discussed and examined a range of issues including: What can feminism learn from indigenous women's knowledge? Why is feminism relevant for all of us? The sharing of power—why aren't we there yet? What sort of future can we create from this conference? There were over 50 workshops on issues such as women and education, mothering and maternal activism, sexism and sexuality in the media, feminist perspectives on pornography, women and poverty, female genital mutilation, domestic violence, women in prison, women and disability and about 40 more topics.
Some people have suggested that we are living in a post-feminist world and that feminism is no longer necessary. While ever women make up the majority of the world's poor, live their lives in fear of violence, continue to suffer from discrimination in accessing education, housing and other basic human rights, feminism is necessary. The conference was a shot in the arm for the many women across this State who work every day to improve women's lives. Anne Summers said at one of the conference sessions that feminism is alive and well. At this time there have never been more men and women who are prepared to call themselves feminists. We should work with and act on that concept.
At a personal level, it was a privilege to gather with so many intelligent, passionate and committed women. The conference was truly inclusive and did not shy away from controversy. There was not any one form of feminism. No one had to have one particular way of representing feminism. There was respect for and inclusion of all points of view, based on the basic value that all women should be treated equally.
I want to place on record tonight my appreciation for the hard work that was done by a voluntary collective. These events usually run on the smell of an oily rag. I thank those who organised the conference: Jane Cullen, Rosa Campbell, Eva Cox, Melanie Fernandez, Gail Hewison, Helen and Celia Hurwitz, Jessica Ison, Gabe Kavanagh, Simone Morrissey, Claire Nemorin, Jenna Price and Tania Safi. Their work is just the beginning.
I look forward to their future efforts on behalf of women in New South Wales.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thanks and get involved!
Hi all,
If you put your contact details down, we will be in touch shortly with things we are doing that we hope you'll be involved in!
When we first started out, we envisaged F as a way to re-ignite the Sydney Feminist movement.
Here are some campaigns and active feminist collectives running at the moment that members of the F collective are involved in:
Women's Abortion Action Coalition.
Meetings: Tuesday 6:30pm
Sydney University Post-Grad Students Association.
Refugee Action Coalition.
Meetings: 6pm at the NSW Teachers federation building on Mary st, Surry Hills. Next meeting 6pm Monday May 3. For details ring/text Ian on 0417 275 713
Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney
Meetings: 6pm Monday nights, NSW Teachers Federation Building, Level 1, 23-33 Mary Street Surry Hills
Should you require further information and would like to attend, please call Jean: 0449 646 593 or E-mail:stoptheintervention@
Friends of the Earth Sydney
Thank you so much for joining us at F: The Conference, Sydney's First Feminist Conference in Ten Years!
It was a roaring success, over 500 people met to discuss feminism over the weekend of April 10th-11th.
It was a roaring success, over 500 people met to discuss feminism over the weekend of April 10th-11th.
If you put your contact details down, we will be in touch shortly with things we are doing that we hope you'll be involved in!
When we first started out, we envisaged F as a way to re-ignite the Sydney Feminist movement.
Here are some campaigns and active feminist collectives running at the moment that members of the F collective are involved in:
All welcome!
Get involved with the ASU’s Equal Pay Campaign: http://www.payup.
Come to the Equal Pay Day of Action, June 10 11am at Sydney Town Hall.
Boomers + , X and Y: A tea party for lesbian and queer women across generations
We'd like to invite you to meet with other lesbian and queer women from across the generations to listen, learn and make connections over a hot drink and a sweet treat.
We are a group of generation X and Y women who attended the recent feminist conference in Sydney and realised we had much to learn from older women, and from each other. We can't do this in a bar so we decided to organise something to bring people together in a relaxed atmosphere. Expect to share stories, insights and connections.
When: 3-6pm, Sunday 16th May, at the Red Rattler, 6 Faversham St, Marrickville
We are a group of generation X and Y women who attended the recent feminist conference in Sydney and realised we had much to learn from older women, and from each other. We can't do this in a bar so we decided to organise something to bring people together in a relaxed atmosphere. Expect to share stories, insights and connections.
When: 3-6pm, Sunday 16th May, at the Red Rattler, 6 Faversham St, Marrickville
Public transport options: Buses 423 and 426 stop on Victoria Rd near Sydenham Rd or Sydenham Railway Station is an 8min walk.
Catering: Please RSVP by 12th May so we can provide enough tea, coffee and biscuits. It'd be great if you brought a plate of treats to share.
Entry: Gold coin donation to cover the venue. ~ RSVP to bxytea@gmail.com ~ Check out Bxy Tea on Facebook ~
Entry: Gold coin donation to cover the venue. ~ RSVP to bxytea@gmail.com ~ Check out Bxy Tea on Facebook ~
Women's Abortion Action Coalition.
Meetings: Tuesday 6:30pm
Sydney University Post-Grad Students Association.
Refugee Action Coalition.
Meetings: 6pm at the NSW Teachers federation building on Mary st, Surry Hills. Next meeting 6pm Monday May 3. For details ring/text Ian on 0417 275 713
Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney
Meetings: 6pm Monday nights, NSW Teachers Federation Building, Level 1, 23-33 Mary Street Surry Hills
Should you require further information and would like to attend, please call Jean: 0449 646 593 or E-mail:stoptheintervention@
Meeting: most Tuesdays in Newtown at 6:30pm.
Post: 19 Eve St, Erskineville, NSW, 2043.
Email: foesydney@gmail.com
Phone: Joe Jennings - 0424 733 166
'Still Feirce' the Sydney Gender and Sexuality Diverse Collective
Meeting: fortnightly on tuesday evenings, 7 - 8.30pm. Regular venue TBA.
http://www.facebook.com/group.
Contact Mish Glitter Pony: 0402 633 424, mishglitterpony@gmail.com
Contact Mish Glitter Pony: 0402 633 424, mishglitterpony@gmail.com
NSW Peace and Justice Coalition
The Student Environment Action Network
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Auslan interpreters - DO YOU REQUIRE ONE?
We currently have two Auslan interpreters lined up for the conference for any attendees that require their assistance. At present, however, we have had no one indicate that they will require an interpreter and, as such, are considering cancelling the booking.
We have to give the interpreters 48 hours notice if we no longer require them so please let us know by WEDNESDAY NIGHT IF YOU REQUIRE AN AUSLAN INTERPRETER.
Our email is: f.the.conference@gmail.com
Thanks and looking forward to seeing you all on Saturday!!
P.S. If you haven’t booked already we are literally down to OUR LAST FEW TICKETS so get in fast or be prepared to miss out!!
We have to give the interpreters 48 hours notice if we no longer require them so please let us know by WEDNESDAY NIGHT IF YOU REQUIRE AN AUSLAN INTERPRETER.
Our email is: f.the.conference@gmail.com
Thanks and looking forward to seeing you all on Saturday!!
P.S. If you haven’t booked already we are literally down to OUR LAST FEW TICKETS so get in fast or be prepared to miss out!!
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