The Australian union movement and paid parental leave: Strategic coalitions and campaigns

The Australian government announced a new paid parental leave policy on Mother’s Day 2009. The day was significant not only because of its maternal symbolism, but also because the onset of the global financial crisis had raised concern about the feasibility of such a scheme. The Australian scheme is funded by the federal government and provides 18 weeks pay at the minimum wage (currently $589.40 per week). The stated objectives of the scheme are threefold and address health, economic and gender issues. They are: to improve maternal and child wellbeing; to increase workforce participation by women; and to improve gender relations at home and at work.

In this paper we focus on the role of the labour movement in the campaign to achieve paid parental leave; a campaign that built on and complemented earlier campaigns to win job protected unpaid maternity leave and improved work-family flexibilities for union members. Utilising a broad range of documentary evidence and interviews with key advocates, we show that although there were points of difference within the union movement about aspects of the paid parental leave scheme, the relative success of the campaign can be attributed to some important factors, including the strategic building of a coalition of interest between labour and women’s advocacy groups, feminist academics, some key employers and the Australian Human Rights Commission.

We argue that when a historical perspective is added to the contemporary analysis, the campaign for paid parental leave demonstrates the union movement’s recognition of the changing gender profile of the paid workforce and of union membership. Moreover, and very significantly given declining unionisation levels in Australia, the campaign reflects recognition by the union movement of the need to strategically campaign for changes in public policy in addition to collectively bargaining for better working conditions.