Paid Equity Delayed Is Pay Equity Denied

For years, care and support workers across New Zealand have been told to wait.Wait for the Pay Equity process. Wait for the recognition they deserve. Wait for the day when their wages reflect the critical, skilled, and emotionally demanding work they do.

Now, with the stroke of a pen, the Government has turned its back on them.

The Backbone of Community and Residential Care

Across Canterbury and the rest of Aotearoa, thousands of care and support workers are the quiet force holding lives together.They support the those in need, in their homes, they care for people living with disabilities, they provide stability for those with complex mental health needs, and they walk alongside the most vulnerable New Zealanders every single day.

They are not “unskilled.”They are not “replaceable.”They are passionate, experienced, deeply committed professionals doing work that requires compassion, resilience, and skill — often in the face of grief, crisis, and trauma.

A Promise, Broken

The Pay Equity claim for care and support workers was never a handout. It was a commitment to fairness — a promise that the value of this work would finally be acknowledged in wages.

Instead, the Government has scrapped the process, changing the law under urgency, without consultation, and without regard for the thousands who have been waiting patiently for justice.

This is more than a political decision.It is a betrayal of the people who have dedicated their lives to care.

The Human Impact

When pay equity is denied, it’s not just workers who suffer — it’s the people they care for.Underfunded wages mean constant turnover, as skilled staff are forced to leave for jobs that pay enough to live on. Continuity of care breaks down, relationships are disrupted, and the most vulnerable lose the stability they depend on.

Across Canterbury and New Zealand, community and residential care services are stretched to breaking point.Every time a worker leaves, the system loses experience, trust, and capacity.

A Responsibility New Zealand Cannot Ignore

Decades ago, New Zealand moved away from large institutions and committed to delivering care in the community. This was a progressive, humane decision — but it came with an ongoing responsibility: to fund and resource community care properly.

Instead, the Government has outsourced this essential work to NGOs, then underfunded them year after year, expecting charity budgets to deliver life-changing services. That’s not just unsustainable — it’s unsafe.

The Industry Must Be Resourced

Community and residential care is not an optional extra. It is critical infrastructure for a fair and compassionate society.

If we want safe, high-quality care for our elderly, disabled, and vulnerable citizens, then we must:

• Resource the industry properly so organisations can recruit and retain skilled staff.

• Pay care and support workers fairly for the complex, demanding work they do.

• Acknowledge the value they bring to individuals, whānau, and communities across New Zealand.

  
  

Paid Equity Delayed Is Pay Equity Denied

Care and support workers have already waited too long.The Government’s decision sends a clear message — that their work can be undervalued, their dedication overlooked, and their voices ignored.

We reject that message.We demand better.Because when you fail to value the people who care for our most vulnerable, you fail as a nation.

GET INVOLVED IN THE CAMPAIGN :

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