On August 29, NZNO joins four other unions launching a legal challenge at the High Court, Wellington, against the Government’s axing of pay equity rights.
Government legislation scrapping 33 pay equity claims (12 with NZNO) didn’t match our human rights law, unions say.
The legislation (without consultation — messing with completed settlements) discriminates on the grounds of sex, and tramples natural justice, they say.
Pay equity seeks the same pay for female-dominated professions (nurses, health-care assistants) as male-dominated mahi requiring similar effort, skills and responsibilities (say, policing).
Weirdly, female-dominated work is continually undervalued.
This shouldn’t be confused with the pay gap that women face for the same work: 8.2 per cent overall, down from 16.3 per cent in 1998.
Incidentally, for every $100 earned on average by a man, a Māori woman earns $85 for the same work.
Māori women — with a 15 per cent pay gap — are still trapped in the 90s.
- Join the rally outside the High Court, Molesworth St, 8am-8:30am August 29, with speakers from each union and/or claim.