Work with hands, heads, or hearts-it's all equal
No matter who you are or what kind of work you do, you deserve to be paid fairly for your work. But for women, achieving fair pay has been a long, hard battle which is not over yet.
Despite the passing of the Equal Pay Act 40 years ago, women are still paid $4 an hour less, on average, than men. In many cases that's because work that's traditionally done by women-such as caring and working with young children-has been historically undervalued. Entire sectors of the workforce have been underpaid as a result.
The good news is, recent landmark court decisions have clarified that our right to equal pay covers the right to pay equity too. And NZEI Te Riu Roa members are leading the charge.
Take action now
We're making history. Now's the time to get involved.
What is Pay Equity or Mana Taurite? What does this have to do with me?
Our pay equity claim is about addressing the historical undervaluing of the work of some professions. This undervaluation has occurred because the work has been traditionally done by women. The skills, effort and responsibility in roles that society has perceived to be 'women's work' have been undervalued in both status and pay. It's time to fix this, because fair's fair!
Kristine Bartlett's pay equity case has paved the way for women to win pay equity. When we win pay equity, it will benefit the women, but also the small number of men, employed in the sector.
Mana Taurite is te reo Māori for equal status or equity.
How do we win pay equity?
We need everyone on board and part of the Fair's Fair Mana Taurite campaign. We have a legal process underway, and we will need the Government to pay for the improved pay rates - the same way they funded Kristine Bartlett's pay equity case.
Fair's fair is your campaign to win mana taurite/pay equity. Winning will take all of us.
The road to pay equity
Check out the basic process for pay equity claims and find out where each claim is at on their way to winning pay equity. Please note, that some groups have slightly differing journeys than others.
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Join up to join in
You can help make the movement for fair pay unstoppable. Stand alongside us as a member of NZEI Te Riu Roa. It takes just a few minutes to become a member.
Pay equity claims
NZEI Te Riu Roa members are already beginning claims for pay equity.
Early childhood education
Teachers and staff are joining forces from all over the country, in private and community-run centres, in an unprecedented show of strength and unity. We're calling on ECE workers to join in now.
See more about our historic ECE pay equity claim
School administration staff
Our pay equity claim for school administrators kicks off now. We're starting out by researching all the different responsibilities and skills that you have, and we need your help.
See the school administration pay equity timeline.
Teacher aides
The Ministry of Education agreed with us and E tū to start pay equity talks within a month of settling teacher aides' pay equity claim. There's been some good progress-see what's been happening.
See more information about the teacher aide pay equity claim
Kindergarten Support Staff
Kindergarten support staff have kicked off a pay equity claim with their employers, following an agreement to do so in the kindergarten support staff collective agreement.
Interviews have taken place across the country with our pay equity advocates and member leaders. Soon, we will begin the assessment stage of the pay equity process.
Kaiarahi i te Reo
We have begun a pay equity process for kaiarahi i te reo to ensure they are valued for the important work they do.
Kaiarahi i te reo are fluent in Te Reo Māori and have an in-depth knowledge of Māori customs and traditions and work alongside teachers supporting Te Reo Māori.
Pay equity settlements
Ministry of Education Support Workers
The terms of settlement for Ministry of Education Support Workers represents an historic and life-changing moment in what was a 12 year battle.
How can you be involved?
Check our pledges for ECE and support staff. Print and display them around your workplace to show that you and your colleagues support government-funded pay equity for support staff and early childhood educators.
Sign up to pay equity updates for all early childhood or support staff and keep up to date with all the different claims.
Background
Pay equity is when people who work in jobs that have traditionally been done by women, are paid the same as those doing work of the same value that's traditionally done by men.
In 2012, aged care worker Kristine Bartlett with her union E tū brought an Equal Pay Act case against her employer, Terranova Homes. She argued she had spent 20 years on very low pay because aged care is largely performed by women.
Ms Bartlett's case went all the way to the Supreme Court. The Court agreed that anyone who does so-called "women's work" can make a pay equity claim under the Equal Pay Act.
To avoid further court cases after the Kristine Bartlett win, the Government set up a set up a Joint Working Group with unions, businesses and officials to agree a set of pay equity principles. These principles aim to help women and employers negotiate over equal pay and get justice more quickly and efficiently than by having to go to court.
In April of 2017, in response to Kristine Bartlett's win, the Government agreed a $2 billion settlement to fund 20 to 40 percent pay rises for care workers over the next five years.
This win by rest home care workers show what's possible when we combine our strength in a union to give us the power to stand up for what's right.
Kathy, Mary, and Denise walk alongside NZEI President Lynda Stuart and supporters as they head off to pay equity mediation.
Photo: Mark Coote.