Affirmative Action: Australian Attempts to Remove Disadvantage

Abstract

The implementation of the Australian government's affirmative actioning proposals, promoting equal treatment for women in organisations, will reduce some elements of disadvantage faced by women in the labour market. Employment practices directly discriminating against women will be replaced by practices which do not overly acknowledge the sex of the applicant, and the employment of women in a diverse range of occupations will be given credence by the organisation's formal statement of commitment to equal employment opportunity. Attempts to remove disadvantage will have to start from the present work structures which are outcomes of actions and bargains between groups in which women have not played a significant part. Unless the trade union movement is given a more prominent role in the development and implementation of affirmative action programmes, these programmes will create further division in the workforce, as the reassessment of concepts underpinning personnel practices may cause much hostility among employees.

Citation

Kramar, R. (1985), "Affirmative Action: Australian Attempts to Remove Disadvantage", Equal Opportunities International, Vol. 4 No. 4, pp. 20-27. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb010436