WAPOU Women's Committee established

In an historic move, WAPOU’s newly formed Women’s Committee provided their inaugural report to the October State Council.  The Committee’s vision is to promote, support and empower women who are a minority within the corrections industry and, by virtue of that fact, a minority within WAPOU Executive, State Council and Branch Committees.

The Committee seeks to act as an advisory committee of female correctional services officers and make recommendations to WAPOU State Council on matters pertinent to women in the context of women’s employment in the corrections’ industry and regarding their participation in the union movement.

The Committee’s goals are communicated through its adopted Terms of Reference, which includes the following statement, “As unionists and workers we are stakeholders in both WAPOU and the Department of Justice and this Committee seeks to make a valuable contribution to both”.

The Committee’s goals generally apply to both the union and employment contexts and include the following:

• Identify and address barriers to the acceptance of female officers and highlight the value women can bring to the industry.
• Raise awareness about women’s issues faced in the workplace and industry.
• Encourage women’s participation in leadership roles and address systemic organisational barriers to women’s advancement.
• Develop strategies to encourage and empower women to become union active and politically engaged.
• Develop strategies to foster respectful and safe environments for all by embracing diversity and valuing all perspectives regardless of gender, race, culture, disability or sexuality.

The Committee is scheduled to meet at least six times per year at the WAPOU office and will utilise technologies to support women from regional areas to participate. Local WAPOU Branches are also encouraged and supported to host their own women’s meetings to assist the Committee in gathering and sharing information.

Membership of the Committee is open to women who are financial members of WAPOU. Female officers actively advocating the interests of women or WAPOU are particularly encouraged to be involved.

Anyone interested in participating in the WAPOU Women’s Committee meetings, or seeking support to convene their own local Branch women’s meeting is encouraged to contact the WAPOU office on 9272 3222 or wapou@wapou.asn.au.

Next WAPOU Women’s Committee Meeting:

10:00am, Wednesday 28 November 2018

WAPOU, 63 Railway Parade, MT LAWLEY

RSVPs essential for regional participants wishing to teleconference