A Step Forward For Social Work Pay Equity

Tuesday, 25 October 2022, 7:03 pm
Press Release: ANZASW

ANZASW celebrates a step forward for social work pay equity. Community and iwi social workers will now be meaningfully paid and recognised for the work they do, through Cabinet agreeing to settle the social work pay equity claim.

As a predominantly female profession, social workers have been historically underpaid significantly for their mahi due to gender-based biases. The settling of the pay equity claim will see a significant increase in the pay of registered social workers employed by the five representative employers.

“Today, we celebrate this significant achievement for our community and iwi-based social workers. Paying them fairly for the mahi they do is really important and it is great to see that the Government values social workers” says Braden Clark ANZASW Kaiwhakahaere Chief Executive.

Mr Clark says, “Social work is an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling, but at times very challenging, career. Social workers make a significant, often unseen, contribution to improving the wellbeing of Aotearoa New Zealand.”

Community and iwi social workers often work with the same whānau as their Oranga Tamariki colleagues. They deal with complex issues such as mental health, family violence, drug and alcohol, housing, and poverty.

“Social workers are registered professionals with significant training – typically a four-year degree. This pay equity decision is another step forward to recognising social workers as professionals and as a finically viable career prospect” says Mr Clark.

“There is more work to be done to ensure the remainder of the social work workforce is paid equitably for the work they do. We now look forward to working with Government to hopefully roll out pay equity for the remainder of the community and iwi sector and for social workers employed by Te Whatu Ora and Te Aka Whai Ora” says Mr Clark.

ANZASW look forward to the day when inequities do not exist within Aotearoa New Zealand because of gender, ethnicity, or any other form of discrimination.

ANZASW wish to acknowledge and thank the hard work of those who have worked tirelessly to achieve this fantastic outcome, in particular the Public Service Association, Social Service Providers Aotearoa, Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission, and the five representative employers (Barnardos, Christchurch Methodist Mission, Ngāpuhi Iwi Social Services, Stand Tū Maia, and Wellington Sexual Abuse Help).

Useful Facts/Information:

• 84% of the social work workforce are female.
• Community and iwi social workers are currently paid an average of $28.51/hour ($59,300/annum), which is less than New Zealand’s median wage ($29.66/hour).
• In 2018, a pay equity claim was settled for Oranga Tamariki social workers. They are now paid an average of $43.21/hour ($89,876/annum).
• There is approximately a 34% ($14.70/hour or $30,000/annum) difference in the pay between community and iwi social workers and Oranga Tamariki social workers. This gap exists because of gender biases.
• In 2019, the Public Service Association lodged a pay equity claim against five representative community employers for social workers.
• The Government’s decision sees a lift in pay of between $20,000-$30,000 for approximately 500 community social workers.
• Social workers training is typically a 4-year degree, including 120 days of unpaid placements.

Social workers are required to be registered under the Social Workers Registration Act 2003.

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