Proposed pay equality legislation will help shame the government into action

The education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa says a proposed Pay Equality Bill will help expose the true extent of gender pay discrimination and shame the government into action.

The draft legislation from the Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner recommends tools and job evaluations which would help ensure equal pay for equal work and work of equal value.

NZEI says thousands of low paid education workers already have proof that they are being discriminated against on the basis of their gender, yet the government systematically turns a blind eye.

An independent job evaluation report showed that when compared with male dominated jobs of corrections officers and cleaners, school support staff such as teacher aides and administrators were paid as much as $8 an hour less.

Other pay and employment equity investigations in education have also shown areas where women employees are not being treated fairly or are being discriminated against in terms of pay, career advancement and the value of their work.

NZEI National Secretary Paul Goulter says it’s hard to take the Prime Minister seriously when he says that the Pay Equality Bill will be given proper attention.

“Mr Key’s comments are completely out of step with the actions of his government”.

“Not only does it fail to take the opportunity and improve the pay and conditions of thousands of low paid education workers but two years ago it moved to scrap the pay and employment equity unit within the Department of Labour and halted further pay and employment investigations,” he says.

“This proposed legislation will deliver some welcome transparency within workplaces and workforces throughout the country. It has the potential to expose the reality of the gender pay gap and the extent to which women are being discriminated against. Maybe then the government will be shamed into action.”

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