Pay Equity Changes

Several nights ago, without warning, the coalition Government decided to dramatically change the law around pay equity, and to end all current pay equity claims.

NUPE had several pay equal claims that it was involved in, and which affected its members.  With a single pen stroke the Government ended those claims and it also ended any legal action that the Unions were pursuing in relation to those claims.   

Rushing legislation through Parliament under urgency, it changed the law to make the ability of parties to pursue future claims difficult.  i.e. there is now a requirement that there needs to be 70% female staff, and it has allowed employers of being able to opt out of the equal pay process.

NUPE is both stunned and angry about this. 

Equal pay improved the pay and lives of thousands of people who are in low paid and often underappreciated roles.  The decision by the Government to end existing pay equity claims and to change the law means that these people are going to receive no relief in the immediate future.

In the short term, we will work alongside other unions and looking at refiling claims that meet the new requirements. We will also be claiming salary increases through upcoming bargaining.

We would urge people to sign the petition against the pay equity changes.  The link for this is below:

Sign and share the petition set up by the Council of Trade Unions to Fight Back for Pay Equity: Protect Pay Equity - Together

We would urge people to join their Union.  We have achieved change through collective action, and we will continue to achieve change through standing together in the future.

Ngā manaakitanga

Quentin Findlay

Organiser

National Union of Public Employees

Ph:     03 3773582

Fax:   03 3774385

Cell:  0272 276137

Email: Quentin@nupe.org.nz

Web:  www.nupe.org.nz

BA, PG Dip, MA (Otago) PhD (Lincoln)

Je suis marxiste de la tendance Groucho