70% of female manufacturing workers never promoted: Report

A new report reveals more than 70% of female manufacturing workers have never been promoted, suggesting small businesses need to take action to combat the skills shortage gripping the industry.

The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union has released a report titled Breaking the perspex ceiling, which highlights the gender inequality within the manufacturing industry.

According to the report, about a quarter of manufacturing workers are women. However, they are concentrated in low-pay, low-skill jobs and are underrepresented in the ranks of skilled tradespeople.

“The majority of women in the manufacturing sector are engaged in process, assembly or administrative work,” the report says.

“Women in manufacturing commonly work in the same business for years or even decades, with no opportunities for skills training or promotion.”

The report reveals 74% have never been promoted to a more senior or higher paying role, and 74% see no opportunity for a promotion in the next five years.

More than 60% say they don’t receive workplace training. 44% are the main income earner in their family, yet 35% struggle to meet weekly bills.

One woman featured in the report said a workplace culture of favouritism, coupled with a lack of vision from management, meant she was continually overlooked.

According to the woman, there are three things that would make her job more attractive.

“They are a pay rise, increased workplace incentives and job security,” she said.

AMWU NSW secretary Tim Ayres says while women are an important part of the employment mix in manufacturing, they aren’t getting a fair go.

“Women in manufacturing are lower paid, hold fewer skills qualifications and don’t have the same opportunities to progress to supervisory or senior roles as their male co-workers,” he says.

“A distinct lack of family-friendly flexibility in manufacturing is also a probative barrier.”

In light of the skills shortages sweeping through the country, Ayres says employers need to take action to ensure their businesses stay afloat.

“In an era of projected skills shortages, a failure by manufacturing and engineering employers to engage with potential women employees, apprentices and trainees means that half the potential labour force is excluded,” he says.

“In blue-collar industries, there has been very little attention paid to identifying and dismantling the barriers to women’s advancement and satisfaction at work.”

The AMWU is calling for more training, fairer workplaces, and a better understanding of the barriers to equal opportunity in the industry.

“Manufacturing employers must work to create fair and open workplaces where women are confident they have real opportunities,” the report says.

The report says employers should strive to be employers of choice for women, in skilled and semi-skilled jobs, by providing:

• Flexibility to attend to caring responsibilities
• Opportunities to apply for promotions and participate in training
• A respectful work environment where women feel comfortable