The Government has come under fire for its stance on pay equity, with claims it sees the issue as a low priority, and something it “wants to forget about”.
Protesters cried shame at parliament today, where the Government has cut the very unit set up to examine the issue.
The 200 union members braved the cold and the rain to make a point of the fact that women on average still earn 12 to 15 percent less than men - despite legislation being passed 36 years ago attempting to provide equal pay.
“It’s appropriate today that we have Kate Shepherd on our posters watching out and reminding us, how she had to fight in her generation – for the simple right to vote,” says Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly.
Protestors shouted “shame” at the Government, which today scrapped the Department of Labour’s Pay and Employment Equity unit – set up to look at pay conditions.
This comes after cutting an investigation into pay in February.
“We certainly spoke to the Minister of SOE about this matter,” says Brenda Pilott of the Public Service Association.
“He said that they could not afford to fund any outcomes from a pay investigation, so there was no point in going ahead with it. We think that’s not good enough.”
Several Wellington shops, bars and cafes also protested, by offering women discounts – but only for today.
The Government has committed half a million dollars towards more research about pay discrimination, but Labour says that is a waste of money.
“They shouldn’t be going back to scratch and doing lots more research because there is plenty of research going on at the moment. It’s already been done,” says Labour MP Sue Moroney.
“It’s time to take action and this unit was taking the action required.”
The Public Service Association has voiced concern that Department of Labour staff were told not to protest today.
It has also filed a complaint against the Government with the Human Rights Commission claiming discrimination because of its stance.
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