Celebrating Social Work Pay Equity

Thursday, 24 November 2022, 11:04 am
Press Release: Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers

ANZASW celebrates another major step forward for social work pay equity. Community and iwi social workers will all now be meaningfully paid and recognised for the work they do, through Cabinet agreeing to extend the recent social work pay equity claim settlement to the broader sector.

Today’s announcement sees the Government committing to lifting the wages of community and iwi social workers and ensuring they receive professional support required to complete their role such as professional development, supervision, and professional membership fees.

Registered social workers working in the community and NGO sector will likely receive an increase in their salary of around $20,000-30,000 per year.

This money will make a meaningful difference in the lives of social workers. One moving story we’ve heard is a social worker say: “This payment means I can take care of my children AND myself”. Another was excited about finally being able to afford to buy new shoes.

“Social workers work incredibly hard on a daily basis with some of our most vulnerable people, whānau, and communities. They deal with a range of complex social problems and are now being paid fairly for the mahi they do” 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. Social workers 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 financially viable career prospect” says Mr Clark.

“We acknowledge the Government’s commitment to addressing pay inequity for social workers. This announcement means approximately 75% of social workers are being paid fairly for the work they do! There is further work to do to ensure the remainder of the sector receives fair pay” says Mr Clark.

ANZASW looks 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 were 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).
• In October 2022, the social worker pay equity claim against five representative community and iwi employers of social workers was settled. This saw these organisations receive a salary increase.
• There was 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.
• The Government’s decision sees a lift in pay of between $20,000-$30,000 for 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.

ABOUT ANZASW: ANZASW is the professional association for social workers in Aotearoa New Zealand. We have approximately 3,800 social work members and advocate on behalf of the social work profession.

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