Gender Pay Gap No Surprise to Education Support Workers

Gender Pay Gap No Surprise to Education Support Workers

3 October 2014

Statistics released today * showing the widening gap between the earnings of men and women will come as no surprise to education support workers in early childhood education.

Six years ago an independent job evaluation report by the Pay Equity Commission showed that when compared with the male dominated job of corrections officer, education support workers were paid as much as $8 an hour less.

The incoming government sidelined the report, saying the pay issue would be dealt with through bargaining rounds.

NZEI Te Riu Roa National Secretary Paul Goulter said nothing had changed and ESWs were still woefully underpaid.

"Here is a clear example of men being paid far more than women in a comparable job, but six years on, nothing has changed," he said.

“The pay gap between men and women is almost 14% of the median wage, and many women in the education sector will find that not in the least surprising,” he said.

“This is another aspect of the growing inequality in New Zealand, where half of the population are paid significantly less because of their gender.”

ENDS

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