PSA to seek Breastfeeding Award

Date: 10 September 2009

NSW Government departments are stuck in the dark ages when it comes to allowing female employees to breastfeed their children - despite the State Government's family-friendly policies.

The Public Service Association of NSW (PSA) will today announce action in the NSW Industrial Commission to force government departments to abide by the State Government's 12-year old policy regarding breastfeeding at the workplace.

PSA President Sue Walsh today said the failure of the NSW public service to change with the times was discouraging many women from going back to work after childbirth.

"The State Government stated its support for family-friendly workplaces, but government departments have been slow to catch up with community expectations.

"Many women in the public sector are finding they are discriminated against, alienated, and embarrassed by the lack of sensitivity towards breastfeeding in the workplace, in the majority of government agencies," Ms Walsh said.

The State Government's Employer Sponsored Childcare policy and guidelines, published in 1997, state that women returning from childbirth should be provided with "physical facilities such as a private room and comfortable surroundings which allow a mother to express and store breast milk," along with regular "lactation breaks."

"Parliament House is one of the few State Government workplaces to have applied the State Government's policy on breastfeeding," Ms Walsh said.

"For most public servants however, breastfeeding is simply not a realistic option.

"Breastfeeding is a woman's right, and it's now up to Government agencies to catch up with both community expectations and the State Government policy on breastfeeding at work."

For further information

Contact:	Steve Turner, Assistant General Secretary
Union:	Public Service Association of NSW
Phone:	9220 0970
WWW:	http://psa.labor.net.au/

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