Women’s Work Finally Being Taken Seriously

Tuesday, 9 July 2002, 11:27 am
Press Release: New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

08 July 2002

“Women’s work is finally being taken seriously in the Government’s report on pay equity,’ said Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson today.

“Now it’s time to move beyond measuring the pay gap and start valuing the work typically done by women.”

Next Steps Towards Pay Equity, a discussion paper released by the Minister of Women’s Affairs Laila Harre, confirms the market alone will not close the gender pay gap.

Currently women earn 84 cents for every $1 a man earns. Maori women earn 74 cents and for Pacific women it’s only 70 cents.

“This structural inequality has no place in modern and innovative workplaces,” said Ross Wilson.

“For too long New Zealand has failed to address equal pay for equal value as required by ILO Convention 100 and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women.”

Ross Wilson said the report identified government regulation, collective bargaining and unionisation as part of the solution to closing the pay gap.

“Unions have a vital role to play through pay equity campaigns, collective bargaining, test cases, monitoring compliance with employment laws and developing pay equity policy,” he said.

Ends

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New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

Te Kauae Kaimahi

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi brings together over 350,000 New Zealand union members in 40 affiliated unions. We are the united voice for working people and their families in New Zealand.

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