Press Release – New Zealand Labour Party

Labour MPs will today join a rally to show their support for pay equity, Labour’s Women’s Affairs spokesperson Sue Moroney says. “The National Party has been in Parliament for just a few months but already their record on the issue of pay equity …

30 June 2009
Media Statement

Labour MPs to show support for pay equity rally

Labour MPs will today join a rally to show their support for pay equity, Labour’s Women’s Affairs spokesperson Sue Moroney says.

“The National Party has been in Parliament for just a few months but already their record on the issue of pay equity is appalling. They have disbanded the pay equity unit and scrapped investigations into pay equity for school support workers and social workers.

“Women earn on average 12 percent less than men, but the Government has disbanded a pay equity unit that was looking at ways to address this issue.

“Workers like school support staff know all to well about the realities of pay inequity. They are among the lowest paid workforces in the country despite working at the frontline of education and this Government is ignoring their plight.

“But despite ignoring the needs of low paid female workers the Government hypocritically this month claimed credit for the work of the Pay and Employment Equity Unit in a presentation to the International Labour Organisation in Geneva. A unit Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson had disbanded.

“Today’s rally will send a clear message to the Government that they need to take the issue of pay equity seriously and start facing up to this issue rather than trying to brush it under the carpet.

“I will be speaking at the rally and will be encouraging women to keep the pressure on the Government on this issue.

“The Government can simply not use the recession as an excuse for failing to act on pay equity.

The Pay Equity rally will take place at Parliament at 12.30 today.

ENDS

Content Sourced from scoop.co.nz
Original url