Cassiar
02-13-2005, 10:37 PM
12 feb 05
THE union that pioneered extra time off work for women suffering painful periods yesterday argued it was time menstrual leave became common in Australian workplaces.
The National Tertiary Education Union was the first to negotiate an extra 12 paid days off a year for women at four universities.
Eight years later the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union has lodged a log of claims with car manufacturer Toyota including menstrual leave.
The claims, which would cover Toyota's 3000 strong workforce including 40 Brisbane-based employees, are currently being negotiated.
If successful, it would be the first time workers in manufacturing have access to time off for period pain.
NTEU NSW branch industrial officer Mark Dolahenty, who last year helped protect the menstrual leave provisions for staff at Sydney University's Student Representative Council, yesterday said it was time other workplaces adopted the extra leave.
"In our experience the members might use one, two or three days a year. And of course just like anything that involves the person it varies between staff member to staff member," Mr Dolahenty said.
"So some women unfortunately suffer greatly with problems with menstruation and some women just seem to work through them."
He said it was important women had access to 12 days extra off a year on top of their sick leave provisions because "menstruation is not a sickness, it is just simply part of being a woman".
Employer groups have labelled the claim for menstrual leave at Toyota extraordinary and said if adopted such ambit demands could reduce productivity and help fuel interest rate rises.
THE union that pioneered extra time off work for women suffering painful periods yesterday argued it was time menstrual leave became common in Australian workplaces.
The National Tertiary Education Union was the first to negotiate an extra 12 paid days off a year for women at four universities.
Eight years later the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union has lodged a log of claims with car manufacturer Toyota including menstrual leave.
The claims, which would cover Toyota's 3000 strong workforce including 40 Brisbane-based employees, are currently being negotiated.
If successful, it would be the first time workers in manufacturing have access to time off for period pain.
NTEU NSW branch industrial officer Mark Dolahenty, who last year helped protect the menstrual leave provisions for staff at Sydney University's Student Representative Council, yesterday said it was time other workplaces adopted the extra leave.
"In our experience the members might use one, two or three days a year. And of course just like anything that involves the person it varies between staff member to staff member," Mr Dolahenty said.
"So some women unfortunately suffer greatly with problems with menstruation and some women just seem to work through them."
He said it was important women had access to 12 days extra off a year on top of their sick leave provisions because "menstruation is not a sickness, it is just simply part of being a woman".
Employer groups have labelled the claim for menstrual leave at Toyota extraordinary and said if adopted such ambit demands could reduce productivity and help fuel interest rate rises.