- The Guardian
- Issue #2165
The construction industry is Australia’s second biggest employer with an estimated workforce of 1.24 million which is predominantly male. Women make up 13.6 per cent of the total construction workforce. However, there is further gender segregation within that workforce, with women work in up to 30 per cent of professional roles but only 3.5 per cent of trade and technician jobs.
The industry has proven difficult for women to enter, with numerous barriers such as long hours, inflexible working conditions, casualisation, difficulties with parental leave, lack of female toilets and often racism particularly for Indigenous and non-English speaking background women.
The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) has joined with the University of Sydney to conduct a study focused on improving the retention of women with a particular focus on parental leave. Their research found that the transitional periods in and out of parental leave are pivotal in a woman’s decision to remain in or return to work. Their report, Boosting Retention of Women in Construction, based on first-hand accounts from women in the industry, found that many women are the first in their workplace to take parental leave. “We have to change the way we operate – and changing the industry’s approach to parental leave is a good place to start,” the report said.
Support is inconsistent in the industry depending on the manager’s knowledge, empathy, and influence. Policies that support flexibility, if they exist, are inconsistent. “Without strong workplace policies, even limited flexibility is seen as a favour rather than a right – leading to feelings of obligation and pressure,” the report said. Inflexible work hours and site-based demands make it especially hard to balance work and family responsibilities.
“Some workplaces are responding with positive reforms; others resist, reinforcing outdated norms.” Without proper planning, many women are returning to lower-skilled roles or leaving the construction industry altogether. “If women are to remain in construction while having children, industry practices must change. Trade unions, employer groups and government need to work together to strengthen support for pregnancy and parental leave.” Construction has the highest gender pay gap of any Australian industry at 28.3 per cent,” says NAWIC co-president, Atika Anwar.
The report’s recommendations include extended paid parental leave (26 weeks at full pay) with superannuation, strong return-to-work policies, and a reduction in work hours for better work-life balance, and action through working groups between industry associations, employers and trade unions to embed pregnancy and parental leave provisions into enterprise agreements. NAWIC has developed a toolkit for employers.
The Victorian government has launched its Building Equitable Futures Strategy 2024-32, its second women in construction strategy. The first ran from 2019-2022. The aim is to achieve a gender balance on government-funded projects of 40 per cent women, 40 per cent men and 20 percent any gender. “No matter what your age, gender, ethnicity or previous experience – there is a suitable job for you in construction,” the Victorian government says.
In Western Australia’s tier one construction sector, union women have achieved some demands but there is still a lot more to do to overcome patriarchy in the industry. The CFMEU has won secure, lockable women’s toilets, sanitary bins and bags for tampons and pads in enterprise agreements. In relation to maternity leave, they have sought and won the right to wage parity with employers paying the gap between the government’s paid leave and their normal wage. They have also won domestic violence leave. The union has a very active women’s committee.
For women to advance their interests in the workplace, they need to join their respective unions. Unions need to welcome women in their ranks at all levels of their organisations.
