Yesterday, the Victorian Labour Hire Authority announced that it has refused to renew the labour hire licence of Women in Construction Pty Ltd, following serious concerns about the company’s operations.
National Association of Women in Construction CEO Cathryn Greville has highlighted the potential impact of this decision on the women who have been working through Women in Construction Pty Ltd and may now face uncertainty about their employment and income.
NAWIC is calling on governments, industry clients and delivery partners to build stronger safeguards into the design, procurement and governance of women’s participation initiatives, to improve transparency and accountability across labour hire and other delivery models, and to act quickly where risks or misconduct are identified.
“NAWIC has a zero-tolerance approach to misconduct and supports regulatory and compliance action that strengthens accountability across the sector,” she said.
“NAWIC is not affiliated with Women in Construction Pty Ltd and has not engaged the company in relation to programs or partnerships, however initiatives to increase women’s participation in construction and infrastructure are critical to addressing longstanding under representation.
“We are calling on governments, project owners and employers to actively identify and support any affected workers, including through safe alternative placements, continuity of income where possible, and clear information about their rights and options.”
Ms Greville said women must not pay the price for failures in governance and compliance by labour hire providers and these initiatives must be supported by strong governance, clear oversight and a genuine commitment to women’s safety, wellbeing and career progression.
“Women working in construction deserve systems they can trust, that offer genuine opportunity, uphold safety and dignity, and are managed with integrity at every level,” she said.
“NAWIC works closely with governments, regulators, unions and employers, along with our members and community stakeholders, to build a fair and inclusive industry.
“Through national initiatives such as our Microaggressions research and initiatives, Male Allyship in Action project and pregnancy and parenting campaign, NAWIC is focused on driving structural and cultural change that ensures women enter, remain and progress in workplaces that are safe, respectful and inclusive.
“We expect individuals and organisations to engage in ethical, lawful and gender-safe practices and believe this is essential across the industry as a baseline standard.”
Media contact:
Claudine Murphy
Communications and Media Manager
[email protected] | 0417 938 542