In honour of International Women's Day last Wednesday, I've been doing what so few women do - advocating for myself at work.
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You see, I want a four-day working week. Same pay, of course.
I haven't gotten the best response from the bosses - but not because of my gender.
I work in the notoriously under-resourced news industry, with daily output and a business with a bottom line. If journos dropped a day a week for the same pay, your Sunday paper would be cut along with us!
![Why shouldn't cleaners be given a four-day working week, for the same pay as a 38 hour week? Picture by Matt Loxton Why shouldn't cleaners be given a four-day working week, for the same pay as a 38 hour week? Picture by Matt Loxton](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/135763310/2a8443b1-e339-4d0c-9eb2-cf04047f4d79.jpg/r0_0_3000_1693_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
So while some call for a four-day working week, my heart goes out to those living in Australia's most expensive city, working well over five days but still barely able to get by.
In my reporting, I've spoken to Canberrans like Ben Lawton, who cleaned a major public hospital but lived in a caravan park, and Julieann Bailey, who worked full-time in disability support while living in a tent with her family and two dogs.
I have written about important industries which struggle to retain staff. Animal clinics closed down because they can't afford to hire vets, and early educators leaving to make more money at Bunnings.
Cops and ambos complain of overwork caused by under-staffing.
The four-day working week is not free. Even the ACT government admits it would come with significant costs. How will they pay for this? We have enough 40km/h zones!
![Will firefighters get to work four days a week for the same pay? Picture by Andrew Campbell Will firefighters get to work four days a week for the same pay? Picture by Andrew Campbell](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/135763310/12bbc379-510f-4ca6-b54b-45bd17032d90.jpg/r0_13_2000_1137_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
To their credit, teachers are on the table as possibly benefiting from the idea, though I fear work-free days would just be spent on admin.
And what about health workers? I don't know many putting in a standard 38-hour week, even those paid by the public purse.
Before you know it, Canberra will truly become a city of elites: public servants who have to make their own coffee, patrol their own streets and clean their own offices.
![Bus drivers dressed as Santa deserve a four-day working week as much as anyone else. Will the government pay for it? Picture by Grant Wells Bus drivers dressed as Santa deserve a four-day working week as much as anyone else. Will the government pay for it? Picture by Grant Wells](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/135763310/4694892d-cb45-4529-9472-35f436980ebf.JPG/r0_260_3000_1953_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It is already difficult for private industry to attract and retain staff in Canberra. They don't have endless coffers to match the high salaries and generous entitlements of the APS or ACT public service - which they and their employees pay for in taxes.
If we want a four-day working week, it needs to be for everyone: same pay for fewer hours for aged care workers, scientists, bus drivers, firefighters, bailiffs and yes, even journalists: not just civil service and corporate elites.
But of course, many of us choose these other, shittier, careers. Not because they are fun or rewarding, but because we hate a quintessential part of public servant life - meetings.
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At The Canberra Times, we've been trialling a standing news conference (our daily editorial meeting). It takes about ten minutes. This is too long. In my old newsroom, we had one meeting a week for the same amount of time.
Sounds like a perfect solution for the apparently overworked public service. More time, same pay, and fair for everyone.
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