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AMWU promotes menstrual leave

Flute

Flute here, not Lauren. The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union has put a claim in for 12 days menstrual leave for those women who suffer from chronic problems during their menstrual cycle.

“It’s a tough, hot dangerous job and we believe that this is a sensible claim that’s good for the company because it will improve productivity, it will improve quality and it will improve health and safety.”

So far the talkback on ABC radio this morning is very split even amongst women.

“I work in a male environment and this is the last thing I need”

Another woman said that she used to suffer extreme pain and terrible symptoms and this would have been very good to have had while she was working.
I expect that this will be beat up into a larger issue as usual. The union is not talking about this kind of leave for all women, only those with a medical history. Is this a good thing? Does it add further hurdles for women in the workplace? Is that really a justification for not bringing the idea to the table? Or is it a male idea designed to muddy the waters of women’s issues?

7 thoughts on AMWU promotes menstrual leave

  3. With all the options to suppress periods now-a-days, I don’t think this is needed. Doctors need to discuss supressing methods with women who suffer painful periods. I think this is just going to cloud the issues and give men lots of fodder to throw at women. Periods have been used against women in the past as a reason to keep us out of the workforce. It would be a great thing, though, and I wish that I could take it seriously, but realistically, it just sounds fishy.

  4. I’m with Sean. There are plenty of dangers for discrimination here. There are plenty of safe ways to suppress periods if one is having serious menstrual problems. All we need is OB-GYNs to begin suggesting these methods to women.

    While I can see reasons why women would still want their periods, even if symptoms do harm their work abilities, this particular measure does seem somehow fishy.

  5. It does sound dodgy doesn’t it. If you allow this then why not allow additional leave for other known ailments. I have never heard of this request before but given that the union’s membership is 90% male, one can afford some suspicion.

  6. I will concede that somewhere out there may exist a woman who needs a day off a month because of untreatable menstrual difficulties. But I bet there are a lot more people who need a day off a month for other medical problems. Why not just guarantee medical leave for everyone who has chronic health issues? Why single out menstrual issues, which most of us figure out how to manage?

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