The PSA is urging the Government to pull back from restricting flexible work practices in the public service, including working from home when mediation begins today.

The PSA filed action with the Employment Relations Authority last December to stop the Government from restricting flexible workplace practices, which disproportionately impacts women who make up 62% of public service workers.

"The Government has heard the loud outrage of women over its shocking destruction of the pay equity framework - it needs to listen now and stop further attacking women in the workplace," said Fleur Fitzsimons National Secretary for the Public Service Association for Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.

"We are hoping to settle this dispute in mediation."

"Women need flexible work to help them manage caring responsibilities whānau and be more productive. It's a win win.

"What the Government is proposing is effectively ripping up the Gender Pay Principles, which was an agreement to end discrimination based on gender and normalise flexible work practices.

"Flexible work is the backbone of employment agreements in modern workplaces and the Government must not undermine this.

"These are binding on the Government and are included in collective agreements so the Government can’t turn around and shift the goalposts.

"This is exactly what it is doing with the pay equity overhaul, upending a system that was working to lift the pay of women in female-dominated occupations.

"The Government needs to learn the lesson from last week, hear the voice of women, and come to the party and resolve this if it wants to avoid litigation before the Authority."

Previous media statement

11 Dec 2024 PSA takes legal action to stop Govt cutting working from home arrangements

Background

In 2018 the PSA entered in into an agreement - the Gender Pay Principles, following legal action in the Employment Court to establish principles governing work performed by women in accordance with the Equal Pay Act 1972. The follow up agreement, Flexible Work by Default, gave effect to these principles and was signed by the PSA, CTU, the State Services Commission (as it then was) and the Ministry for Women in 2020.

Gender Pay Principles

The Gender Pay Principles guide all government work on gender pay with the aim of ending discrimination based on gender, and closing the gender pay gap. They require senior leaders to eliminate gender inequalities, require agencies to apply specific resourcing to ensure Māori women are not discriminated against and work with unions to ensure equitable practices are sustained.

The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

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