Library workers are taking their long-overdue pay equity claim to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) today, almost six years after the claim was first lodged.

The PSA lodged the claim with Auckland, Tauranga, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin councils in 2019. Since then, the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi (PSA) has worked with the councils in good faith to reach a settlement.

"Six years is far too long for councils to make this little progress," said library worker delegate Kamala Roberts. "They’ve left us with no choice but to escalate."

The application to the ERA asks it to decide rates of remuneration for library workers that are free from gender-based discrimination. The ERA has the power to fix those rates.

This escalation comes after the PSA provided extensive evidence that library workers are significantly underpaid because of gender-based discrimination. The councils initially agreed with this conclusion but have since tried to undermine the evidence, which has meant the parties have not been able to reach a settlement.

"We’re disappointed that the councils are so reluctant to address decades of discrimination," said library worker delegate Tessa Bowler. "In the meantime, they keep benefitting from our hard work while we struggle to make ends meet because they’re underpaying us."

The PSA represents over 1000 library assistant roles covered by the claim.

"We all know the vital part that libraries play in our communities. They are centres for everyone to connect and learn. To keep them going, the people who work there need decent jobs, with decent wages," said Roberts.

To mark this year’s International Women’s Day (March 8), delegates representing library workers delivered invoices for closing the pay gap to council chief executives, as part of the ongoing campaign for pay equity.

"We continue to strongly urge the councils to commit to fully funding a fair settlement, and stop denying justice to library workers," said Bowler.

Note: 

The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

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