Pay Equity Heads Government
Action Plan for Women
International Women’s Day

8 March 2004

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation has taken heart from the release today on International Women’s Day of the Government’s Action Plan for New Zealand Women.

Speaking on behalf of NZNO, Laila Harré, who as Minister of Women’s Affairs launched the action plan development process, said that the inclusion of pay and employment equity as the first action item in the report would encourage nurses and midwives fighting for fair pay in the public health sector.

“We take this as a signal that government is ready to address our claims,” said Laila Harré.

“Reports like this have a fine tooth comb run over them by Cabinet, and so putting pay equity in the state sector at the very top of the list is a very good sign.”

NZNO has today launched a national public petition calling on parliament to ensure that DHBs are adequately funded to pay nurses and midwives fairly.

"Nurses and midwives will also be heartened to hear the report focuses on actions that improve the every day lives of working women,” said Laila Harré.

“As well as the focus on pay equity, plans to improve the availability of child care assistance and reduce student loan debt are priority issues for NZNO and for nurses and midwives.”

Laila Harré said action taken on all these fronts would assist greatly the critical recruitment and retention issues beleaguering the nursing workforce.

ENDS

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