NZEI welcomes removal of hurdles to pay justice for women
5 March 2018

NZEI Te Riu Roa has welcomed joint recommendations from business, unions and government officials to scrap the hurdles to pay equity proposed by the previous National Government.

The Labour-led Government announced this morning it would look at the recommendations from a joint working party to make it easier for women to make pay equity claims.

NZEI National Secretary Paul Goulter said the experience of teacher aides and education support workers already pursuing pay equity strongly supported the removal of the hurdles the National Government had wanted to put into law.

“We hope the united message from business, unions and officials means National will drop its ill-advised member’s bill imposing these same hurdles and instead swing behind new legislation that will make it swifter for women to achieve pay justice,” he said.

The joint working group on pay equity principles has recommended making it simpler for women to initiate a claim and clarified that any appropriate job may be used as a comparison.

“We are making steady progress for women in education. The previous government put unfair hurdles in the way of women wanting to make a claim. We want those hurdles gone, and to get a fair settlement for some of our most vulnerable workers,” said Mr Goulter.

NZEI is advancing claims for Ministry of Education support workers, school administration staff and teacher aides, and educators in early childhood education.

ENDS

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