Historic Pay Equity Deal Will Change Lives

An historic pay equity settlement, the first under the new Equal Pay Act, has been overwhelmingly approved by DHB administration and clerical workers.

PSA national secretary, Kerry Davies says, "This day will go down in history. PSA has been fighting for equal pay for work of equal value for women workers since 1913. The equal pay settlement for administration and clerical workers in DHBs is another step in a long journey. Each step has a concrete and inter-generational effect for the workers it covers, and that’s worth celebrating!

PSA national sector leader, Sue McCullough says, "Ten thousand mostly women workers will at last receive pay that recompenses them for their labour, not their gender.

Pay equity will change the lives of many of these workers, with some to receive pay rises of up to 40 percent. Not all roles within the sector have been underpaid as significantly as others, so pay rises will vary.

It’s also the first time that administration and clerical staff throughout the country will have same pay for doing the same work."

The workers who will benefit from the deal are thrilled. Darilyn Uren-Perry says, "This morning, I am finding my job a complete joy to undertake. Whilst I've always taken pleasure from my work, I didn't actually realise how much resentment I felt about not being paid fairly for it nor how much this had impacted my mental health."

Union delegate and long-time advocate for pay equity, Nancy Mc Shane says, "When I heard the news last night that our PSA DHB Admin equal Pay claim had been ratified by an astonishing margin of 97 percent, it literally brought tears to my eyes!

Settlement of this Equal Pay claim is another important step towards true equality for all women in Aotearoa and will be profoundly transformational in the lives of my DHB Admin colleagues!"

© Scoop Media