New Minister Needs to Turn Around Government’s Shameful Record on Pay Inequity

The education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa says the first priority of the new Minister of Women’s Affairs should be to turn around the government’s shameful record on pay and employment inequity.

Hekia Parata is taking over from former Minister Pansy Wong who shamefully canned the Pay and Employment Equity Unit last year and shut down all further pay equity investigations.

NZEI says the Government has systematically ignored evidence of pay inequity within education and has done nothing to address the needs of low paid women workers.

A pay investigation involving around 800 Ministry of Education support workers who work with special needs children, found they are significantly underpaid when compared to male workers in other sectors who have similar skills levels and responsibilities.
A separate report of the Pay Equity Review of the Compulsory Schooling Sector found that across all occupational groups in schools, there were areas where women were not being treated fairly or were being discriminated against in terms of pay, career advancement and value of their work.

“The appointment of a new Women’s Affairs Minister is an opportunity for the government to reverse its appalling record on pay inequity, prioritise women’s issues and show some real commitment to closing the gender pay gap,” says NZEI President Frances Nelson.

“There is clear evidence of institutional pay and employment discrimination. Hekia Parata needs to do the right thing and act in the interests of thousands of New Zealand women.”

ENDS

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