Caregivers and nurses support midwives

Momentum is building in New Zealand to address gender pay inequality says New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) caregivers, nurses and midwives.

NZNO industrial services manager, Cee Payne says, “NZNO is committed to women's work being based on the real value of the work taking into account the skills, training and experience on the job. We believe the New Zealand College of Midwives claim for pay parity, filed in the High Court today, will be successful. It’s time the gender pay gap was closed. ”

“Equal pay is an issue for all women workers from caregivers, to lawyers, to midwives and every female-dominated occupation in between. To close the pay gap in the health sector it must be funded properly. The current and deliberate underfunding of health shows itself in the shrinking pay packets of community midwives.”

The College filed papers under the Bill of Rights claims Lead Maternity Carers who work in the community are paid less because they are women.

“We wish our midwife colleagues all the best with their claim. We’ll stand with them all the way”, Payne says.

ENDS.

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