Pay equity upheaval ‘despicable’

Anger erupted in central Nelson on Saturday with throngs decrying the Government’s upheaval to pay equity laws.

The change which was hurried through parliament and passed legislation last week means it will now be harder for workers in professions dominated by women to lodge claims for a pay increase so it can be on par with equivalent jobs undertaken by men.

Nelson Public Service Association (PSA) organiser Sarah Proctor-Thomson called the change ‘despicable’.

“I just think it’s a despicable use of urgency to progress [the Government’s] interests in their budget, and it’s the lower-paid workers in New Zealand who are going to pay for it,” she says.

“We don’t expect the government will do a turnaround on this, and so we’re stuck with this awful amendment to pay equity.”

Sarah says the change hampers the ability for women who are low-paid workers to get pay equity by decades.

“The pay equity law change stops 33 pay equity claims, some of which have been ongoing for years. That means the work that has been done to date has been thrown out,” she says.

“The settled pay equity claims that we already have can no longer be used as comparators or to help future pay equity claims.”

Nelson MP Rachel Boyack joined the protest and says the coalition Government had turned its back on women’s pay.

“Christopher Luxon is taking money out of women’s pockets – just to make his budget add up,” she says.

“Without any warning or consultation, the Government forced through a law change that will stop thousands of women getting the pay they deserve.

“Good progress was being made towards equal pay for the Kiwis who form the backbone of our society.

“However, instead of building on the work of successive governments and focusing on bringing women’s pay into balance with men’s, National has turned their back.”