Vic: Delahunty calls for better work/family balance

AAP General News (Australia)
02-01-2006
Vic: Delahunty calls for better work/family balance

MELBOURNE, Feb 1 AAP - On the 150th Anniversary of the eight-hour day this year, workers
are still struggling to balance work and family time, Victorian Women's Affairs Minister
Mary Delahunty says.

Ms Delahunty today said increasing numbers of employees were clocking up 50-hour weeks,
making it difficult for working parents to balance school pick-ups, shopping, housework
and childcare.

"More people are complaining about the pressures this balancing act creates," she said.

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showed 1.7 million Australians worked 50 hours
or more weekly in 2002, twice as many as in 1982, she said.

"Working time is still a major source of tension and conflict and the casualisation
of the work force provides little security for families."

Ms Delahunty said women especially were affected by the "double shift" of work and
childcare, with 56 per cent of Australian women participating in the workforce.

One third of those women were also caring for children, she said.

Ms Delahunty returned to the site of the original campaign for the eight-hour day in
Victoria, at the University of Melbourne, to announce a program of events commemorating
the achievement.

In April 1856, stonemasons working on the university's law faculty walked off the job
demanding an eight-hour day.

Other unions joined in. After a three-week campaign they won their demand.

Although Melbourne claims the title of achieving the first eight-hour day, labour historians
say Sydney's stonemasons issued a six-month ultimatum for an eight-hour day in August
1855.

Some decided not to wait and went on strike to win the eight-hour day before the ultimatum
elapsed.

They celebrated their victory on October 1, 1855.

NSW, the ACT and South Australia celebrate Labour Day in October, while Victoria, Tasmania
and Western Australia hold their Labour Day or Eight Hour Day holidays in March.

Queensland and the Northern Territory celebrate Labour Day, or May Day in NT, on May 1 this year.

AAP nl/gfr/jm/de

KEYWORD: WORK

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.