Earlier this year, the Sydney International Film Festival debuted Women of Steel, which tells the true story of the women of Wollongong as they fought for the right to work alongside men for Australia’s biggest company, BHP.
Denied access to secure employment, women were vulnerable to exploitation and entrenched poverty – so they took on BHP in Australia’s biggest anti-discrimination class-action lawsuit, and won the right to equal access to the jobs they needed.
The documentary is testament to the role that employment plays in all our lives – for our economic security, for our self-esteem, for our sense of place in the world. But it also shines a spotlight on the often arbitrary barriers that prevent qualified, hard-working Australians from accessing work.
It’s an important film that reminds us to keep working to remove obstacles and to ensure that everyone, regardless of background, has the opportunity to secure stable employment.
To find a screening near you or to host a screening yourself, visit: https://fan-force.com/films/women-of-steel/ And to find out more about the film, and the women who changed Australia, visit: www.womenofsteelfilm.com/
