Thoughts or Comments?

[crassy.livejournal.com]

 

Unions say they are negotiating a landmark industrial relations claim to allow women to take extra sick leave for menstrual pain.

The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) says some women have particularly bad periods and are genuinely forced to call in sick.

As part of negotiations for a new enterprise bargaining agreement at Toyota, the union has asked for women to be allowed 12 paid days menstrual leave a year.

AMWU national secretary Doug Cameron says the leave would be additional to the sick leave they are already entitled to.

"Our members tell us that they have to take their sick leave, some of them on a regular basis, because they've got chronic problems with their period," Mr Cameron said.

"We believe that they shouldn't be disadvantaged against men that don't have a regular problem once a month."

The Australian Industry Group (AIG) has condemned the move.

AIG chief executive Heather Ridout says it is a particularly bad time to even propose such a claim.

"I think it will set a dangerous precedent," she said.

"But more worrying it will put pressure on interest rates, the Reserve Bank, the Federal Treasury - they're all looking for higher labour costs to put pressure on our interest rate structure.

"We have to carefully weigh any increasing labour costs against the massive interest of all Australians to keep interest rates low."

Comments

[jonaki.livejournal.com]

I think it's a good idea, provided it doesn't get abused. I don't see why women who experience chronic pain cannot get one/two days off.

[babybloodheart.livejournal.com]

Some special treatment should be given to women suffering with painful cramps, however this should be the same treatment any employee would have if he or she were under the weather. If discussing women with continual menstrual cramps who have to take time off work I think it should be treated in the same way as any other health problem, this to me is looking for special treatment for women.
Menstrual leave is more than likely going to be laughed at, and so it should be, I really don't see why women should be treated any different, most women can cure cramps, those who cannot we are looking at chronic incurable pain, which of course men get too.
I wouldn’t expect my employee to give me special treatment for this reason, in fact I’d not expect to be employed at all if this is taken seriously because we will be looking at employees seeing me as a women, a women who potentially could have far more days off than a man purely because I am a women.

[dainichijess.livejournal.com]

But this is a problem women have that men don't. Most companies don't provide adequate sick leave for a woman to be able to take off two-to-three or even more leave if she genuinely needs to once a month.
Yes, men get chronic incurable pain, but most of them can either adapt and get a job regardless or go on unemployment. It's highly unlikely that a woman would be eligible for disability/unemployment just because she has problems once a month. It's not always something that can be taken care of, too, since the only thing that can fix it (in almost every case) is some form of hormonal supplement, which some women can't take.
I, personally, think it's a great idea.

[babybloodheart.livejournal.com]

Hormonal supplements are not the only thing that will fix cramps, far from it.
Women and men both get health problems, just because this is women specific doesn't make their health problems any more important than a mans.

[myemptythoughts.livejournal.com]

Not every menstrual cramp can be cured. I know a lot more girls who can't get rid of their paralyzing cramps than can. It's not just cramps either and there is no magic potion-- some can get help and some can't. Not to mention the pain killers they give you make you feel like shit even if you aren't in pain anymore. I honestly think you saying it should be laughed at is rude. I don't laugh at people with herniated disks in their backs. They however, can collect a disability check, while I feel like I'm going to pass out due to lack of iron at work. Health insurance doesn't always cover everything and I know I can't pay for the drugs they give you (which I don't even like taking drugs-- I would much rather wait it out than poison myself) without some kind of coverage. Not everyone has the health insurance to cover repeated trips to the gyno. Not everyone is a spoiled bureaucrat.

[babybloodheart.livejournal.com]

Then surely women should be fighting for disability and health insurance, not expecting special treatment from their employees just because they are women? Why do you expect special treatment?

[myemptythoughts.livejournal.com]

It’s not special treatment, it’s accommodating to their needs. Clearly men and women have different needs and fighting for health insurance is a MUCH bigger battle than fighting for a few days off.

[babybloodheart.livejournal.com]

As you say men and women have differant needs, so why is it women expect special needs where as men do not get any? Getting an extra 12 days off because your a women is special treatment, I see no reason at all why women should get extra days off, their needs are no more important than mens.

[myemptythoughts.livejournal.com]

I agree men shouldn't be left out of this, I do think that giving time JUST to women isn't that damn fair. Which is why they should either screen it harcore (how they would do it would be the major problem) OR give it to men and women alike. Or they could half it to 6 days and give it to men and women. I just think more sick time would be a very VERY big help... even if it's 3 extra days.

[babybloodheart.livejournal.com]

Yes, extra sick pay would be good, but this is not talking about extra sick pay, this is talking about menstrual leave, special leave just for women.

[myemptythoughts.livejournal.com]

I realise that. What I said was a thought. A thought to change it a bit so it fits both sexes. With change come different names I suppose.

[yentruoc-64.livejournal.com]

Yes, but this is a proposition for people who genuinely need to take the day off once a month. Think about it - many people don't even use half their sick days every year... just because they're THERE doesn't mean people will necessarily use them all up. It's just an extra precaution if somehow someone uses all their sick days AND has terrible cramps... most companies give 2 weeks. So, if a woman takes the 1 day for her period, and then ends up getting pneumonia, the flu, bronchitis, strep throat, pink eye... the list goes on and on... she will have to either stay in work while sick, or go to work when she really won't be very productive anyway.

[babybloodheart.livejournal.com]

It's cirumstance, same as any sick day, no one should get special treatment based on their sex.

[cuzgoatsrkool.livejournal.com]

Hey, if men start shedding their uterine lining through their penis, then I say give them the extra days too!

Jesus fuck.

[myemptythoughts.livejournal.com]

hahaha

[crassy.livejournal.com]

I am going to make a bet that if men were the ones who shed their uterine lining instead of women, they would already have these days off every month. This would be a non-issue :)

[myemptythoughts.livejournal.com]

that's a for sure.

[cuzgoatsrkool.livejournal.com]

I think it's a good idea. It's unfair for sick days to be used up on something that can't really be prevented... I know I used to miss a lot of school due to bad cramps so I can only imagine...

[babybloodheart.livejournal.com]

Sorry to point out to you here, but thats just what sick days are for, to be used on on something that can't really be prevented.

[cuzgoatsrkool.livejournal.com]

LOL, yeah but ONLY females get menstrual pain EVERY month. That's a little different :P

[myemptythoughts.livejournal.com]

I'd say YES. it's a great idea... but they would need some way of screening it so its not abused. Or just give more sick time to men and women a like.

[emilime.livejournal.com]

it will be abused. period. (no pun intended)

i think it's a bad idea. it's another reason for people to look at women like we're not as good as men.

[redwitch13.livejournal.com]

Interesting ... do we fight for the chance to be taken seriously on an issue which has caused us a great deal of pain and misunderstanding, or do we stick to a party line of "we are as good as men, so let's pretend it doesn't happen"?

The fear that admitting to having debilitating cramps or emotional distress somehow shows weakness is, at its core, a product of patriarchal thinking ... it's a backlash against the "weaker sex" idea, and is just as harmful to women. Instead of allowing ourselves to be classed as fainting flowers, we push ourselves to be *stronger* than men, frightened that any sign of weakness will result in our losing the freedoms we have fought so hard to gain.

We *are* biologically diverse, and there's just no getting around it. Personally, I'd like to see an option built into people's contracts that allows both men and women the choice to withdraw themselves from work during certain parts of their cycles (and yes, men cycle too - it's a longer cycle, but it's there) and take care of themselves, physically, emotionall and spiritually. And if employers worry about loss of productivity, maybe they need to think outside the box ... an employee given the opportunity to care for themselves 1-2 days a month is likely to be *more* productive than an employee forced to soldier on (or lose pay after the first few months).