'Once a poster girl, now an international laggard': Pay equity appeal goes to UN

RNZ News

16 hours ago

Photo:
RNZ/Marika Khabazi
A pay equity advocacy group is making an urgent appeal to the United Nations (UN) to investigate the government's changes to pay equity laws.
The Pay Equity Coalition Aotearoa (PECA) has made a formal submission to the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) to investigate what it calls a "historic and deliberate regression" of women's economic and political rights in New Zealand.
In its appeal, PECA outlines how the Equal Pay Amendment Act has
dismantled the country's pay equity system
, cancelling 33 live claims covering more than 180,000 women, many of whom are low-paid essential workers in care, health, education, and public services.
The group's Dame Judy McGregor told
Nine to Noon
it had informed Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of the request about a fortnight ago, which had been done "in a spirit of desperation".
"It's an unprecedented step," she said.
After pleas to the government to review and potentially repeal the legislation, it felt dialogue between the independent CSW and the government would be useful, Dame Judy said.
"Perhaps a country visit in which a committee member can hear the stories and witness personally the anger and despair… thousands of women, many of whom are Māori and Pasifika migrant women workers who really now are condemned to decades and, in some cases, a lifetime of poverty wages."
The submission stated $12.8b previously set aside to address pay equity claims had been diverted by the government for other budgetary purposes.
The group believed the legislation breached Article 11 of the UN's Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which guaranteed women the right to equal pay for work of equal value, as well as Article 2(3)(a) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which ensured access to effective legal remedies.
Dame Judy bemoaned New Zealand's reputational slide on gender equity issues.
"I think New Zealand has gone from being a poster girl for gender equality now to probably an international laggard," she said.
PECA alerted Luxon of the submission about a fortnight ago "as a courtesy".
Dame Judy McGregor.
Photo:
"Given women weren't given that courtesy in relation to pay equity, we felt at least the government should," Dame Judy said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Women's Minister Nicola Grigg had also been alerted.
No response had been received from the prime minister's office, other than receipt of the correspondence.
The group was also considering filing a complaint to the UN's Optional Protocol to the CEDAW.
In a statement, the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU) said it backed PECA's appeal.
Secretary Melissa Ansell-Bridges said cancelling pay equity for more than 180,000 working women was a "flagrant attack on their economic and political rights".
"PECA are right to call for action from the United Nations to ensure that Aotearoa New Zealand lives up to its reputation on the world stage.
"Overnight our world-leading system was gutted without consultation or normal checks and balances. What remained in its place is a series of roadblocks, thresholds and obstacles masquerading as pay equity."
NZCTU said New Zealand was once proud to be world leaders for making progress on ensuring women were paid what they were worth.
"It is shameful that our government has such low regard for women's rights," Ansell-Bridges said.
"This government refuses to listen. We must use every forum to pressure them to restore pay equity claims. In June I raised pay equity at the International Labour Organization conference, and support taking the fight to the UN."
Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden.
Photo:
RNZ / Mark Papalii
Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden
earlier this week said
the pay equity changes were made to ensure genuine instances of pay inequity are identified and resolved.
"As a government, we want to be sure that the pay equity process is robust, workable and sustainable and getting the settings right for claims that demonstrate genuine sex-based discrimination," van Velden said.
"Equal pay is here to stay. Pay equity remains open as a process and the law is more robust."
When the changes were rolled out earlier this year, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon
said claims the government was "cutting pay for women" were incorrect
.
"Equal pay remains, no change. Pay parity remains, no change. Collective bargaining remains, no change. Settlements that have already happened under pay equity, no change."
RNZ has sought comment from Peters, Griggs and Luxon.
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