Paid maternity leave will be even more crucial for parents and their newborn babies as they face job insecurity and financial uncertainty as a result of the global financial crisis, says ACTU President Sharan Burrow.

“A new national paid maternity leave scheme would be an important initiative that would help thousands of Australian parents at a time when their finances and well-being are often under greatest strain.

“There are also strong economic reasons for introducing a national paid maternity leave scheme as it will promote greater workforce participation by women and reduce costs for businesses in hiring and training new staff.

“Most families now rely on two incomes to service bills, a mortgage or rent. When a child is born, the immediate loss of one income hits hard,” says Ms Burrow.

Evidence shows an increasing number of women are returning to work too early because of financial pressures.

Many are also fearful of losing their jobs, particularly those in casual or part-time positions.

Unions are hearing from an increasing number of working mothers that they return before they are fully recovered from childbirth, are unable to continue breastfeeding and suffer anxiety at having to leave their babies before bonding has been fully established.

“On behalf of all working people, unions call on the Rudd Government to carefully consider these facts and include a paid maternity leave scheme in next year’s 2009 Federal Budget,” says Ms Burrow.

“Working women have been waiting too long for a national paid maternity leave scheme. The first steps towards it should be taken in next year’s Budget.”

The ACTU President says in the current difficult economic circumstances, a Government-funded paid maternity leave scheme would be a sensible means of providing a targeted payment to thousands of families most in need of support.