Gender pay gap grows 19% in one year - action needed from Govt

The Public Service Association (PSA) says the 19% growth in the size of the gender pay gap - from 9.9% to 11.8% - shows the importance of strong action from Government on the issue of equal pay.

The alarming growth in the gender gap in median hourly wages, which took place from June 2014 - 2015, was revealed in Statistics NZ’s New Zealand Income Survey.

Richard Wagstaff, PSA national secretary, said "Government must take the lead and set a positive example by ensuring workers they employ and contract are not paid unfairly due to their gender."

"The public service pay gap is even larger than the overall NZ gap, so it is crucial that Government takes this issue seriously.

"Our Worth 100% campaign aims to close the gender pay gap for PSA members by 2024.

"It is shameful that more than 40 years after the Equal Pay Act became law, women are still not paid fairly.

"It is clear that leaving equal pay to the market to resolve has not worked, and will never do so.

"The gender pay gap will not close on its own, it needs Government and employers to join unions in taking real action to intervene," said Richard Wagstaff.

ENDS

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