Findings released today by Motu Economic and Public Policy Research show that the gender wage imbalance can be attributed simply to sexism.
“It’s 2017 – we’ve come so far as a society. But there is so much more we must do to remove barriers in the way of women being paid fairly,” CTU President Richard Wagstaff said.
“In New Zealand we have a proud history of valuing the voices and contribution of women. We need government to take active leadership in ensuring that all Kiwis are paid fairly regardless of gender. We have the opportunity to, again, be a world leader when it comes to the issue of valuing women, just like we did 124 years ago when New Zealand women successfully campaigned for, and won, the right to vote.”
“A government committed to fixing this problem must change the law so that equal pay for work of equal value is something which is easier to achieve – this is how we can lead the world. Certainly the Bill the National Government has drawn up just before Parliament closed for the election makes it much harder for women to be paid fairly.”
“It is tremendous that this election so many Kiwis are saying that equal pay is an election issue for them. It is certainly what I will be voting for,” Wagstaff said.