The Green Party has called out the Government’s latest attack on workers with the announcement that it is halting all pay equity claims.

“Women deserve fair pay. This move to undo years of pay equity progress is a monumental step backwards from the Government,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Women, Kahurangi Carter.

“Workers should be valued and treated as equals regardless of their gender, ethnicity or age. We can and must ensure that women are paid fairly, are treated with respect and are safe - things this Government is actively undermining.

“The gender pay gap is one of the glaring shortfalls of our workforce. Employees and unions have been working towards pay equity working for a long time. The Government is undoing this progress - women, and particularly Māori and Pacific women, will be the worst affected.

“Make no mistake: this is a cost-cutting measure to fund tax cuts for the rich, a bill our communities will have to pick up. Rather than paying women what they deserve, this Government is shifting these costs onto our communities.

“We know that reducing the gender pay gap and the gap other minorities face requires a concerted effort. Pay equity settlements had begun to deliver positive outcomes for some groups, but there is much work to do.

“We can afford to pay people what they deserve. We can do this by making the super rich pay their fair share and choosing our communities over corporate greed,” says Kahurangi Carter.

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