Women revolt at NZ government's pay equity walk-back
Finance Minister Nicola Willis is poised to bank billions from the move, which was announced and legislated inside 48 hours last week.
The new law prompted hastily organised protests spanning the length of the country, recalling the mighty pushback that Chris Luxon's government weathered around ill-fated Treaty of Waitangi reforms.
This time around, rather than Maori who raised their voices, it has been women.
"Women across the country will pay the price for this ... it's a dark day," public sector union boss Fleur Fitzsimons said.
Pay equity claims are designed to raise wages in female-dominated industries, in a complex process that involves comparing their work to similar industries.
One such example was nursing, which saw a pay equity claim finalised in 2023, bumping salaries for 30,000 workers by tens of thousands of dollars a year - partially to compete with Australian wages.
Teachers, hospice workers and midwives were among 150,000 workers in industries who were hoping to finalise similar claims with the government until the shock move last week, which axed 33 unresolved claims.
Those industries are expected to lodge claims under a new model, despite the higher thresholds involved.
Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden said the system needed to be streamlined, given settled claims were costing the government an extra $NZ1.78 billion ($A1.64 billion) each year.
Her argument of cost-saving, ahead of the May 22 budget, has allowed opposition parties to claim the government had effectively docked their pay.
Prime Minister Chris Luxon argues that isn't right.
"The opposition, the unions and frankly the media have been actually scaremongering and being a bit disingenuous about all of this," he said.
"We know what we want to fix ... we have moved quickly to make sure that we can get one system in place."
Others believe otherwise.
"I don't think we've ever seen a clearer example of a government gaslighting half the population than the one we've seen in the last few days," Labour leader Chris Hipkins said.
"This is about saving money."
Alongside the spontaneous protests this weekend, there was near universal condemnation from the commentariat, including one explosive attack from senior and respected journalist Andrea Vance.
Ms Vance labelled Ms Willis a "c***" and a "girlboss" who betrayed feminism by defending the cuts by holding a press conference backed by five other female ministers.
"All united in a historic act of economic back-handing other women ... kind of like watching a 'Lean In' seminar hosted by the ghost of Margaret Thatcher," Ms Vance wrote in Wellington newspaper The Post.
In a right-of-reply in the same masthead, Ms Willis said she was appalled by the arguments.
"Having the C-word directed at me by a journalist in a mainstream publication wasn't on my bingo list for Mother's Day 2025. Nor was being accused of 'girl-math'," she wrote.
Ms Willis defended the cuts to "unwind a blow-out in costs that Treasury had been forecasting" in favour of other spending.
But there will be precious little of that in the May 22 budget, given she has already trimmed her operating allowances in pursuit of a surplus in 2027.
New Zealand's government is confronting a backlash from women after cancelling dozens of gender-based pay claims to make savings ahead of a tough-as-nails budget.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis is poised to bank billions from the move, which was announced and legislated inside 48 hours last week.
The new law prompted hastily organised protests spanning the length of the country, recalling the mighty pushback that Chris Luxon's government weathered around ill-fated Treaty of Waitangi reforms.
This time around, rather than Maori who raised their voices, it has been women.
"Women across the country will pay the price for this ... it's a dark day," public sector union boss Fleur Fitzsimons said.
Pay equity claims are designed to raise wages in female-dominated industries, in a complex process that involves comparing their work to similar industries.
One such example was nursing, which saw a pay equity claim finalised in 2023, bumping salaries for 30,000 workers by tens of thousands of dollars a year - partially to compete with Australian wages.
Teachers, hospice workers and midwives were among 150,000 workers in industries who were hoping to finalise similar claims with the government until the shock move last week, which axed 33 unresolved claims.
Those industries are expected to lodge claims under a new model, despite the higher thresholds involved.
Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden said the system needed to be streamlined, given settled claims were costing the government an extra $NZ1.78 billion ($A1.64 billion) each year.
Her argument of cost-saving, ahead of the May 22 budget, has allowed opposition parties to claim the government had effectively docked their pay.
Prime Minister Chris Luxon argues that isn't right.
"The opposition, the unions and frankly the media have been actually scaremongering and being a bit disingenuous about all of this," he said.
"We know what we want to fix ... we have moved quickly to make sure that we can get one system in place."
Others believe otherwise.
"I don't think we've ever seen a clearer example of a government gaslighting half the population than the one we've seen in the last few days," Labour leader Chris Hipkins said.
"This is about saving money."
Alongside the spontaneous protests this weekend, there was near universal condemnation from the commentariat, including one explosive attack from senior and respected journalist Andrea Vance.
Ms Vance labelled Ms Willis a "c***" and a "girlboss" who betrayed feminism by defending the cuts by holding a press conference backed by five other female ministers.
"All united in a historic act of economic back-handing other women ... kind of like watching a 'Lean In' seminar hosted by the ghost of Margaret Thatcher," Ms Vance wrote in Wellington newspaper The Post.
In a right-of-reply in the same masthead, Ms Willis said she was appalled by the arguments.
"Having the C-word directed at me by a journalist in a mainstream publication wasn't on my bingo list for Mother's Day 2025. Nor was being accused of 'girl-math'," she wrote.
Ms Willis defended the cuts to "unwind a blow-out in costs that Treasury had been forecasting" in favour of other spending.
But there will be precious little of that in the May 22 budget, given she has already trimmed her operating allowances in pursuit of a surplus in 2027.
New Zealand's government is confronting a backlash from women after cancelling dozens of gender-based pay claims to make savings ahead of a tough-as-nails budget.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis is poised to bank billions from the move, which was announced and legislated inside 48 hours last week.
The new law prompted hastily organised protests spanning the length of the country, recalling the mighty pushback that Chris Luxon's government weathered around ill-fated Treaty of Waitangi reforms.
This time around, rather than Maori who raised their voices, it has been women.
"Women across the country will pay the price for this ... it's a dark day," public sector union boss Fleur Fitzsimons said.
Pay equity claims are designed to raise wages in female-dominated industries, in a complex process that involves comparing their work to similar industries.
One such example was nursing, which saw a pay equity claim finalised in 2023, bumping salaries for 30,000 workers by tens of thousands of dollars a year - partially to compete with Australian wages.
Teachers, hospice workers and midwives were among 150,000 workers in industries who were hoping to finalise similar claims with the government until the shock move last week, which axed 33 unresolved claims.
Those industries are expected to lodge claims under a new model, despite the higher thresholds involved.
Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden said the system needed to be streamlined, given settled claims were costing the government an extra $NZ1.78 billion ($A1.64 billion) each year.
Her argument of cost-saving, ahead of the May 22 budget, has allowed opposition parties to claim the government had effectively docked their pay.
Prime Minister Chris Luxon argues that isn't right.
"The opposition, the unions and frankly the media have been actually scaremongering and being a bit disingenuous about all of this," he said.
"We know what we want to fix ... we have moved quickly to make sure that we can get one system in place."
Others believe otherwise.
"I don't think we've ever seen a clearer example of a government gaslighting half the population than the one we've seen in the last few days," Labour leader Chris Hipkins said.
"This is about saving money."
Alongside the spontaneous protests this weekend, there was near universal condemnation from the commentariat, including one explosive attack from senior and respected journalist Andrea Vance.
Ms Vance labelled Ms Willis a "c***" and a "girlboss" who betrayed feminism by defending the cuts by holding a press conference backed by five other female ministers.
"All united in a historic act of economic back-handing other women ... kind of like watching a 'Lean In' seminar hosted by the ghost of Margaret Thatcher," Ms Vance wrote in Wellington newspaper The Post.
In a right-of-reply in the same masthead, Ms Willis said she was appalled by the arguments.
"Having the C-word directed at me by a journalist in a mainstream publication wasn't on my bingo list for Mother's Day 2025. Nor was being accused of 'girl-math'," she wrote.
Ms Willis defended the cuts to "unwind a blow-out in costs that Treasury had been forecasting" in favour of other spending.
But there will be precious little of that in the May 22 budget, given she has already trimmed her operating allowances in pursuit of a surplus in 2027.
New Zealand's government is confronting a backlash from women after cancelling dozens of gender-based pay claims to make savings ahead of a tough-as-nails budget.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis is poised to bank billions from the move, which was announced and legislated inside 48 hours last week.
The new law prompted hastily organised protests spanning the length of the country, recalling the mighty pushback that Chris Luxon's government weathered around ill-fated Treaty of Waitangi reforms.
This time around, rather than Maori who raised their voices, it has been women.
"Women across the country will pay the price for this ... it's a dark day," public sector union boss Fleur Fitzsimons said.
Pay equity claims are designed to raise wages in female-dominated industries, in a complex process that involves comparing their work to similar industries.
One such example was nursing, which saw a pay equity claim finalised in 2023, bumping salaries for 30,000 workers by tens of thousands of dollars a year - partially to compete with Australian wages.
Teachers, hospice workers and midwives were among 150,000 workers in industries who were hoping to finalise similar claims with the government until the shock move last week, which axed 33 unresolved claims.
Those industries are expected to lodge claims under a new model, despite the higher thresholds involved.
Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden said the system needed to be streamlined, given settled claims were costing the government an extra $NZ1.78 billion ($A1.64 billion) each year.
Her argument of cost-saving, ahead of the May 22 budget, has allowed opposition parties to claim the government had effectively docked their pay.
Prime Minister Chris Luxon argues that isn't right.
"The opposition, the unions and frankly the media have been actually scaremongering and being a bit disingenuous about all of this," he said.
"We know what we want to fix ... we have moved quickly to make sure that we can get one system in place."
Others believe otherwise.
"I don't think we've ever seen a clearer example of a government gaslighting half the population than the one we've seen in the last few days," Labour leader Chris Hipkins said.
"This is about saving money."
Alongside the spontaneous protests this weekend, there was near universal condemnation from the commentariat, including one explosive attack from senior and respected journalist Andrea Vance.
Ms Vance labelled Ms Willis a "c***" and a "girlboss" who betrayed feminism by defending the cuts by holding a press conference backed by five other female ministers.
"All united in a historic act of economic back-handing other women ... kind of like watching a 'Lean In' seminar hosted by the ghost of Margaret Thatcher," Ms Vance wrote in Wellington newspaper The Post.
In a right-of-reply in the same masthead, Ms Willis said she was appalled by the arguments.
"Having the C-word directed at me by a journalist in a mainstream publication wasn't on my bingo list for Mother's Day 2025. Nor was being accused of 'girl-math'," she wrote.
Ms Willis defended the cuts to "unwind a blow-out in costs that Treasury had been forecasting" in favour of other spending.
But there will be precious little of that in the May 22 budget, given she has already trimmed her operating allowances in pursuit of a surplus in 2027.
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A legal right to work from home would be divisive and likely send jobs elsewhere, business groups say. A state government has revealed plans to enshrine the right to work from home for both public and private-sector employees. The premier behind the Australian-first push hails its as the next frontier in worker rights that would benefit working parents. The Victorian government has promised to introduce legislation in 2026 for the right to work from home on two days per week, in contrast to other states that want public servants to spend more time in the office. The proposed law would apply to all public and private sector employees in Victoria who can reasonably do their job from home. Details are yet to be worked through and Premier Jacinta Allan signalled the changes could come into effect under Victoria's Equal Opportunity Act, as private workplaces are regulated by federal laws. 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He described it as "pure political theatre" designed to wedge the opposition while also running counter to both global trends and business best practice. "These policies foster an 'us versus them' dynamic, privileging some white-collar workers while leaving blue-collar employees with no choice," he said. "It's divisive, disruptive, and dangerous." Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Paul Guerra claimed businesses would move interstate and jobs would be lost if Victoria moved away from the legislated national system. "(Work from home) certainly works well in some contexts, but that should be determined by the employer in consultation with the employee," he said. Ms Allan promised to introduce the law in 2026 prior to the state election. Polls indicate Labor is on track to win a fourth term but the November 2026 poll will be the first as premier for Ms Allan, who lags opposition leader Brad Battin as preferred state leader. Mr Battin said working from home was a valuable option for many workers and families. "We support measures that help Victorians enjoy a better work-life balance, and will review any legislation closely, to ensure it supports flexibility, productivity and personal choice," he said. The federal coalition's push to end to working-from-home for public servants was partly blamed for its unsuccessful result at the May federal election, despite abandoning the policy before polling day. NSW Premier Chris Minns has described remote-work provisions as a thing of the past but stopped short of seeking an end to working from home, instead ordering public servants to work principally in offices. More than one third of Australian employees usually work from home but that number swells to 60 per cent of managers and people in professional services, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The bureau says 43 per cent who work from home do overtime, compared to one quarter of those who do not. A legal right to work from home would be divisive and likely send jobs elsewhere, business groups say. A state government has revealed plans to enshrine the right to work from home for both public and private-sector employees. The premier behind the Australian-first push hails its as the next frontier in worker rights that would benefit working parents. The Victorian government has promised to introduce legislation in 2026 for the right to work from home on two days per week, in contrast to other states that want public servants to spend more time in the office. The proposed law would apply to all public and private sector employees in Victoria who can reasonably do their job from home. Details are yet to be worked through and Premier Jacinta Allan signalled the changes could come into effect under Victoria's Equal Opportunity Act, as private workplaces are regulated by federal laws. Ms Allan promoted the plan as beneficial to both the economy and families, likening it to other significant workplace changes in recent decades including more women entering the workforce. "There's been many, many gains over many, many generations that have supported women's opportunity to increase their workforce participation, this is just another important, big step," she told reporters. Issues such as the definition of remote work, who can do it, how it would affect part-time workers and the types of businesses to which the law would apply, will be figured out through a consultation process. Ms Allan said the decision had gone through cabinet and brushed off suggestions it could trigger a court challenge. The plan drew sharp criticism from business groups, with Australian Industry Group Victorian head Tim Piper describing it as serious government overreach that undermines business autonomy. He described it as "pure political theatre" designed to wedge the opposition while also running counter to both global trends and business best practice. "These policies foster an 'us versus them' dynamic, privileging some white-collar workers while leaving blue-collar employees with no choice," he said. "It's divisive, disruptive, and dangerous." Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Paul Guerra claimed businesses would move interstate and jobs would be lost if Victoria moved away from the legislated national system. "(Work from home) certainly works well in some contexts, but that should be determined by the employer in consultation with the employee," he said. Ms Allan promised to introduce the law in 2026 prior to the state election. Polls indicate Labor is on track to win a fourth term but the November 2026 poll will be the first as premier for Ms Allan, who lags opposition leader Brad Battin as preferred state leader. Mr Battin said working from home was a valuable option for many workers and families. "We support measures that help Victorians enjoy a better work-life balance, and will review any legislation closely, to ensure it supports flexibility, productivity and personal choice," he said. The federal coalition's push to end to working-from-home for public servants was partly blamed for its unsuccessful result at the May federal election, despite abandoning the policy before polling day. NSW Premier Chris Minns has described remote-work provisions as a thing of the past but stopped short of seeking an end to working from home, instead ordering public servants to work principally in offices. More than one third of Australian employees usually work from home but that number swells to 60 per cent of managers and people in professional services, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The bureau says 43 per cent who work from home do overtime, compared to one quarter of those who do not. A legal right to work from home would be divisive and likely send jobs elsewhere, business groups say. A state government has revealed plans to enshrine the right to work from home for both public and private-sector employees. The premier behind the Australian-first push hails its as the next frontier in worker rights that would benefit working parents. The Victorian government has promised to introduce legislation in 2026 for the right to work from home on two days per week, in contrast to other states that want public servants to spend more time in the office. The proposed law would apply to all public and private sector employees in Victoria who can reasonably do their job from home. Details are yet to be worked through and Premier Jacinta Allan signalled the changes could come into effect under Victoria's Equal Opportunity Act, as private workplaces are regulated by federal laws. Ms Allan promoted the plan as beneficial to both the economy and families, likening it to other significant workplace changes in recent decades including more women entering the workforce. "There's been many, many gains over many, many generations that have supported women's opportunity to increase their workforce participation, this is just another important, big step," she told reporters. Issues such as the definition of remote work, who can do it, how it would affect part-time workers and the types of businesses to which the law would apply, will be figured out through a consultation process. Ms Allan said the decision had gone through cabinet and brushed off suggestions it could trigger a court challenge. The plan drew sharp criticism from business groups, with Australian Industry Group Victorian head Tim Piper describing it as serious government overreach that undermines business autonomy. He described it as "pure political theatre" designed to wedge the opposition while also running counter to both global trends and business best practice. "These policies foster an 'us versus them' dynamic, privileging some white-collar workers while leaving blue-collar employees with no choice," he said. "It's divisive, disruptive, and dangerous." Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Paul Guerra claimed businesses would move interstate and jobs would be lost if Victoria moved away from the legislated national system. "(Work from home) certainly works well in some contexts, but that should be determined by the employer in consultation with the employee," he said. Ms Allan promised to introduce the law in 2026 prior to the state election. Polls indicate Labor is on track to win a fourth term but the November 2026 poll will be the first as premier for Ms Allan, who lags opposition leader Brad Battin as preferred state leader. Mr Battin said working from home was a valuable option for many workers and families. "We support measures that help Victorians enjoy a better work-life balance, and will review any legislation closely, to ensure it supports flexibility, productivity and personal choice," he said. The federal coalition's push to end to working-from-home for public servants was partly blamed for its unsuccessful result at the May federal election, despite abandoning the policy before polling day. NSW Premier Chris Minns has described remote-work provisions as a thing of the past but stopped short of seeking an end to working from home, instead ordering public servants to work principally in offices. More than one third of Australian employees usually work from home but that number swells to 60 per cent of managers and people in professional services, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The bureau says 43 per cent who work from home do overtime, compared to one quarter of those who do not.
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Trump fires jobs data commissioner after dismal report
US President Donald Trump has removed the head of the agency that produces the monthly jobs figures after a report showed hiring slowed in July and was much weaker in May and June than previously reported. Trump, in a post on his social media platform on Friday, alleged the figures were manipulated for political reasons and said that Erika McEntarfer, the director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, who was appointed by former president Joe Biden, should be fired. He provided no evidence for the charge. "I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY," Trump said on Truth Social. "She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified." After his post, Labour Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said on X that McEntarfer was no longer leading the bureau and that William Wiatrowski, the deputy commissioner, would serve as the acting director. "I support the president's decision to replace Biden's commissioner and ensure the American people can trust the important and influential data coming from BLS," Chavez-DeRemer said. Friday's jobs report showed that just 73,000 jobs were added in July and that 258,000 fewer jobs were created in May and June than previously estimated. McEntarfer was nominated by Biden in 2023 and became the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics in January 2024. Commissioners typically serve four-year terms but since they are political appointees can be fired. The commissioner is the only political appointee of the agency, which has hundreds of career civil servants. Trump focused much of his ire on the revisions the agency made to previous hiring data. Job gains in May were revised down to just 19,000 from 125,000, and for June they were cut to 14,000 from 147,000. In July, only 73,000 positions were added. The unemployment rate ticked up to a still-low 4.2 per cent from 4.1 per cent. "No one can be that wrong? We need accurate Jobs Numbers," Trump wrote. "She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified. Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can't be manipulated for political purposes." The monthly employment report is one of the most closely-watched pieces of government economic data and can cause sharp swings in financial markets. The disappointing figure sent US market indexes about 1.5 per cent lower Friday. While the jobs numbers are often the subject of political spin, economists and Wall Street investors — with millions of dollars at stake — have always accepted US government economic data as free from political manipulation. US President Donald Trump has removed the head of the agency that produces the monthly jobs figures after a report showed hiring slowed in July and was much weaker in May and June than previously reported. Trump, in a post on his social media platform on Friday, alleged the figures were manipulated for political reasons and said that Erika McEntarfer, the director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, who was appointed by former president Joe Biden, should be fired. He provided no evidence for the charge. "I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY," Trump said on Truth Social. "She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified." After his post, Labour Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said on X that McEntarfer was no longer leading the bureau and that William Wiatrowski, the deputy commissioner, would serve as the acting director. "I support the president's decision to replace Biden's commissioner and ensure the American people can trust the important and influential data coming from BLS," Chavez-DeRemer said. Friday's jobs report showed that just 73,000 jobs were added in July and that 258,000 fewer jobs were created in May and June than previously estimated. McEntarfer was nominated by Biden in 2023 and became the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics in January 2024. Commissioners typically serve four-year terms but since they are political appointees can be fired. The commissioner is the only political appointee of the agency, which has hundreds of career civil servants. Trump focused much of his ire on the revisions the agency made to previous hiring data. Job gains in May were revised down to just 19,000 from 125,000, and for June they were cut to 14,000 from 147,000. In July, only 73,000 positions were added. The unemployment rate ticked up to a still-low 4.2 per cent from 4.1 per cent. "No one can be that wrong? We need accurate Jobs Numbers," Trump wrote. "She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified. Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can't be manipulated for political purposes." The monthly employment report is one of the most closely-watched pieces of government economic data and can cause sharp swings in financial markets. The disappointing figure sent US market indexes about 1.5 per cent lower Friday. While the jobs numbers are often the subject of political spin, economists and Wall Street investors — with millions of dollars at stake — have always accepted US government economic data as free from political manipulation. US President Donald Trump has removed the head of the agency that produces the monthly jobs figures after a report showed hiring slowed in July and was much weaker in May and June than previously reported. Trump, in a post on his social media platform on Friday, alleged the figures were manipulated for political reasons and said that Erika McEntarfer, the director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, who was appointed by former president Joe Biden, should be fired. He provided no evidence for the charge. "I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY," Trump said on Truth Social. "She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified." After his post, Labour Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said on X that McEntarfer was no longer leading the bureau and that William Wiatrowski, the deputy commissioner, would serve as the acting director. "I support the president's decision to replace Biden's commissioner and ensure the American people can trust the important and influential data coming from BLS," Chavez-DeRemer said. Friday's jobs report showed that just 73,000 jobs were added in July and that 258,000 fewer jobs were created in May and June than previously estimated. McEntarfer was nominated by Biden in 2023 and became the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics in January 2024. Commissioners typically serve four-year terms but since they are political appointees can be fired. The commissioner is the only political appointee of the agency, which has hundreds of career civil servants. Trump focused much of his ire on the revisions the agency made to previous hiring data. Job gains in May were revised down to just 19,000 from 125,000, and for June they were cut to 14,000 from 147,000. In July, only 73,000 positions were added. The unemployment rate ticked up to a still-low 4.2 per cent from 4.1 per cent. "No one can be that wrong? We need accurate Jobs Numbers," Trump wrote. "She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified. Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can't be manipulated for political purposes." The monthly employment report is one of the most closely-watched pieces of government economic data and can cause sharp swings in financial markets. The disappointing figure sent US market indexes about 1.5 per cent lower Friday. While the jobs numbers are often the subject of political spin, economists and Wall Street investors — with millions of dollars at stake — have always accepted US government economic data as free from political manipulation. US President Donald Trump has removed the head of the agency that produces the monthly jobs figures after a report showed hiring slowed in July and was much weaker in May and June than previously reported. Trump, in a post on his social media platform on Friday, alleged the figures were manipulated for political reasons and said that Erika McEntarfer, the director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, who was appointed by former president Joe Biden, should be fired. He provided no evidence for the charge. "I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY," Trump said on Truth Social. "She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified." After his post, Labour Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said on X that McEntarfer was no longer leading the bureau and that William Wiatrowski, the deputy commissioner, would serve as the acting director. "I support the president's decision to replace Biden's commissioner and ensure the American people can trust the important and influential data coming from BLS," Chavez-DeRemer said. Friday's jobs report showed that just 73,000 jobs were added in July and that 258,000 fewer jobs were created in May and June than previously estimated. McEntarfer was nominated by Biden in 2023 and became the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics in January 2024. Commissioners typically serve four-year terms but since they are political appointees can be fired. The commissioner is the only political appointee of the agency, which has hundreds of career civil servants. Trump focused much of his ire on the revisions the agency made to previous hiring data. Job gains in May were revised down to just 19,000 from 125,000, and for June they were cut to 14,000 from 147,000. In July, only 73,000 positions were added. The unemployment rate ticked up to a still-low 4.2 per cent from 4.1 per cent. "No one can be that wrong? We need accurate Jobs Numbers," Trump wrote. "She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified. Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can't be manipulated for political purposes." The monthly employment report is one of the most closely-watched pieces of government economic data and can cause sharp swings in financial markets. The disappointing figure sent US market indexes about 1.5 per cent lower Friday. While the jobs numbers are often the subject of political spin, economists and Wall Street investors — with millions of dollars at stake — have always accepted US government economic data as free from political manipulation.
