CARE WORK HAS VALUE : HONOR IT

Care work is not just a job.It is the beating heart of a compassionate society.It is the quiet, steady force that allows people to live with dignity, families to stay together, and communities to thrive.

The True Value of Care

Care work touches lives in ways that can never be fully measured in dollars and cents — but that does not mean it should be undervalued or underpaid.

For those receiving care — the elderly, the disabled, people with chronic illness or mental distress — it is the difference between isolation and connection, between surviving and truly living.

For families, care work is what allows them to know thier loved ones are safe, to balance work and family responsibilities, to know that someone skilled and compassionate is there to help.

For society, it is an investment in stability, health, and human dignity. Every hour a care worker spends supporting someone is an hour that strengthens the fabric of our communities.

Care Work Reflects Our Values as a Nation

New Zealand prides itself on being one of the best places in the world to live. We talk about fairness, kindness, and looking after one another. But those values mean nothing if they are not reflected in the way we treat our most vulnerable — and the people who care for them.

You can judge the integrity of a nation by the way it provides care for those who need it most. On that test, our care workers are doing their part brilliantly. The question is — is our government?

The Crisis of Undervaluation

Right now, thousands of care workers are paid wages that barely cover the basics of life. These are skilled professionals performing essential work, yet they are treated as though their contribution is optional or replaceable.

This is not just unfair — it is dangerous.Underpaying care workers drives people out of the sector, strips away experienced staff, and leaves those in need of care facing instability and loss.

Honouring Care Work Means Investing in It

If we truly value care, we must show it through action:

• Fair pay that reflects the skill, responsibility, and emotional labour involved.

• Secure funding for community and residential services so workers can focus on care, not on how to make ends meet.

• Recognition that care work is not a cost to be minimised but an investment in the health and strength of our nation.

  
  

A Nation’s Honour Is at Stake

Care work is a mirror — it reflects who we are. If we honour it, we build a New Zealand that lives up to its values. If we neglect it, we reveal a country willing to turn its back on its own people.

We say:Care work has value. Honour it.Because how we care for the most vulnerable is not just a policy decision — it’s a test of our national character.

GET INVOLVED IN THE CAMPAIGN :

Full Details At www.nupe.org.nz/FAIRPAY