Opposition MPs will present giant bank ‘cheques’ representing $20,644.45 in stolen pay equity wages to care and support workers at Parliament on Tuesday 1 July.

July 1 heralds pay increases for politicians while care and support workers mark three years to the day waiting for one. Their pay equity claim - now cancelled by the National-led Government - was initiated on 1 July 2022.

"The cheque represents the amount owed to these women from the care and support pay equity claim the Government cancelled on 6 May," says PSA Assistant Secretary Melissa Woolley.

"The figure reflects what should have been paid to workers under the claim, calculated using their pay equity rates.

"It's a life-changing amount of money the National-led Government have stolen from hardworking people - most of them women," Woolley said.

What: Labour MP Jan Tinetti and Green MP Teanau Tuiono to handover symbolic giant cheques to care and support workers.

Where: Labour Caucus Room, Parliament

When: 2pm - 2:20pm, Tuesday 1 July.

Who: A care and support worker from each of the three unions - E tū, the Public Service Association, and the New Zealand Nurses Organisation.

How: The cheques will be handed over after short speeches from support workers, MP Jan Tinetti, and Melissa Ansell-Bridges - National Secretary of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions.

PSA analysis shows support workers would be $20,644.45 better off if they’d been paid equity rates over the three years people in Government have failed to deliver their settlement.

Notes:

The analysis is based on the 21 per cent margin above the minimum wage that care and support workers received in the 2017 settlement. The settlement rates, or the minimum wage rate, whichever was higher has been compared with what the rate would have been if the 21 per cent margin had been maintained. The comparison is based on a 30-hour work week.

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