For immediate release

17 February 2011

Equal Pay Day - time for men to take up pay equity challenge

Several male MPs and trade union leaders took up the pay equity
challenge today - and carried Equal Pay Day red bags on the steps of
Parliament to show their support for the campaign.

Pay Equity Challenge spokeswoman Angela McLeod said that achieving pay
equity is not just a concern for women. "Today, we've chosen to give red
bags to male leaders to draw attention that this is everyone's issue."

"The majority of MPs are men, and the majority of employers are still
men. We need them to step up and be part of the solution to the 12.4%
gap between men and women's hourly pay," said Angela.

Tomorrow is International Red Bag Day - the day that women effectively
start getting paid this year. Before tomorrow, women were working for
free - catching up with men's pay from 2010.

"The men that joined us today are standing up in the fight for fair pay.
We need more men and women to join us.

"The Government needs to pay attention to the issue and take steps to
reduce the gender pay gap.

ENDS

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