Forum to address work/life juggle

By Siobhan Callan

Work and family expert, Dr Barbara Pocock, will be guest speaker at a Friday Forum to be held at Teachers Federation House on September 10.

Dr Pocock is an academic from the University of Adelaide, where she is an Associate Professor and holds the position of Director of the Centre of Labour Research.

Her most recent publication, The Work/Life Collision, examines the way that changing work structures and experiences are affecting the quality of life for all Australians. In this book Dr Pocock argues that the amount and type of paid work Australians are asked, or required to do, is having a dramatic impact at the social level.

Ms Pocock reports: "The work/life juggle is proving a very difficult task for Australians at the moment: mothers, fathers, children, families, and entire communities are affected. Our institutions lag behind standards adopted long ago to meet this kind of collision in some other countries: like effective rights to permanent part-time work, leave regimes that support working/carers and reductions in working hours."

Dr Pocock has also recently been involved in conducting research in a variety of schools, engaging in discussions with students about the impact of the long working hours of their parents on themselves and their families.

This event will continue the successful series of Federation Friday Forums, functions held to discuss the equity issues that matter to educators.

The evening will commence at 5.30pm with drinks and nibblies served in the Federation Library.

The forum will be held in meeting rooms 2 and 3, first floor, Teachers Federation House and will conclude at about 7.30pm.

Please RSVP by September 3 to the Federation Library, phone (02) 9217 2113, fax (02) 9217 2481 or email libdesk@nswtf.org.au.

Siobhan Callan is Federation's Women's Coordinator.

For further information

August 2004 contents