“Risking lives, earning less”: Why is there a gender pay gap for Vic firefighters?

Women on Forest Fire Management Victoria crews are being paid thousands of dollars less than their male colleagues, according to the Australian Workers’ Union, which is alleging a widening gender pay gap in the state’s forest firefighting workforce.

However, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) has told the Brolga variations in median salary reflected workforce composition rather than unequal pay for the same job.

❓What happened: The union says its analysis of Victorian Public Service data shows female FFMVic field staff have fallen further behind over the past four years, claiming women missed out on an estimated $4,255 in pay increases compared with men in equivalent frontline roles.

🔢 The numbers: According to the AWU:

• The median male salary for FFMV field roles rose by $8,036 between 2019 and 2023, while women’s wages increased by $3,781 over the same period. 

• The gender pay gap among field staff in that timeframe has expanded from 3.4 percent to 9.5 percent. 

• It says the current median salaries sit at $58,787 for women and $64,966 for men, a difference of $6,179.

😡 Union anger: AWU Victorian Branch President Ross Kenna said “women are doing the same dangerous work, facing the same fires, risking their lives to protect communities, yet DEECA has allowed a pay gap to blow out considerably”.

AWU Victorian Secretary Ronnie Hayden argued the situation pointed to systemic undervaluation of women in emergency services roles. 

He said women were highly trained professionals but had not benefited equally from wage growth.

🗣️ What does DEECA say? DEECA disputes the union’s interpretation of the data. 

A departmental spokesperson said variations in median salary reflected workforce composition rather than unequal pay for the same job.

“Our analysis shows there is no gender pay difference in wages across comparable roles in FFMVic and we’ll continue to support more women to enter the workforce and help them progress through the ranks.”

They said women make up 37 percent of the emergency management workforce, up from 25 percent in 2019, and that DEECA was recognised in September by Women in Firefighting Australasia for advancing workplace inclusion.